ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Bottled Water

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her estimate is of the number of litres of bottled (a) sparkling and (b) still water consumed in the United Kingdom in each year since 2002; and what percentage was supplied in (i) plastic, (ii) glass and (iii) other materials.

Ben Bradshaw: It is estimated based upon records of consumer purchases from the Expenditure and Food Survey that 736 million litres of mineral water were consumed in the UK in the 12 month period starting in April 2003. These are the latest estimates available. In the same period a year earlier it was 655 million litres.
	Defra does not collect statistics which distinguish between sparkling and still waters or the way water is packaged. However, figures published by Mintel in its Bottled Water Report of June 2003 indicate that 75 per cent. of bottled water in 2003 was still and 25 per cent. sparkling. In addition, 79 per cent. was packaged in plastic bottles, 20 per cent. in glass bottles and 1 per cent. in cans.

Bovine TB

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the incidence of bovine tuberculosis in the deer population over the last five years.

Ben Bradshaw: Accurate data for bovine TB in deer across the UK are not available, because there is no statutory routine testing programme for bovine TB in deer.

Bovine TB

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what timescale she envisages for the badger culling trial in the South West; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB aims to reveal the outcome of the pro-active culling effect of the Randomised Badger Culling Trial to Ministers in spring 2006 and publish its final report, covering all its works and findings, in spring 2007.

Bovine TB

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether compensation is payable to farmers who have suffered consequential loss through their herds being infected by tuberculosis; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: No compensation is payable for consequential losses. The payment of consequential loss to producers falls within the definition of state aids and cannot therefore be paid without the agreement of the EU Commission.

Bovine TB

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the level of compensation paid to farmers for herds which are infected by tuberculosis.

Ben Bradshaw: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 30 June 2005, Official Report, column 1638W.

Common Agricultural Policy

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received from Commonwealth countries about the effects of the EU's common agricultural policy on the developing world.

Jim Knight: holding answer 18 July 2005
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and her ministerial team have regular meetings with Commonwealth country representatives to talk about a range of issues, including the EU's common agricultural policy. A number of such representations have been received in the past, and there is every intention of continuing to be receptive to such representations in the future.

Departmental Publications

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the publications issued by her Department in each of the last seven years; and what the (a) circulation, (b) cost and (c) purpose of each was.

Jim Knight: A list of publications produced by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (and includes those relevant publications from the Departments that formed Defra in June 2001) is detailed on the Defra website (Publications" link on the main website 'home' page).
	The Government have a duty to explain their policies, decisions and actions; to inform the public about their rights and liabilities; and to provide the public with advice and warnings. Defra regularly publishes reports, consultations and publicity material in accordance with these principles.
	The individual production cost of each of the publications could be collated only at a disproportionate cost.

Departmental Purchasing

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the companies from which her Department has purchased goods and services of a total value above £1 million in each of the last three years; and how much was spent in respect of each company.

Jim Knight: The information for the last three financial years has been made available in the Library of the House.

Departmental Staff

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many full-time equivalents have worked for the Department for each of the last five financial years for which figures are available.

Jim Knight: Information on staff numbers is contained in Table C of Civil Service Statistics 2004 which is available on the internet at: http://www.civil service.gov.uk/management_information/statistical_inf ormation/statistics/publications/xls/report_2004/table_ c.xls
	This table shows the numbers of staff by Department and agency between 1998 and 2004, on a full-time equivalent basis. Copies of Civil Service Statistics are also available in the Library of the House.

Departmental Travel

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what targets she has set for reducing car mileage within her Department since 1997; and what the mileage levels were in each year from 1997.

Jim Knight: holding answer 18 July 2005
	The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs was created in June 2001. Since then, we have worked towards published targets of reducing road transport vehicle carbon dioxide emissions by at least 10 per cent. by 31 March 2006 (against the baseline year 2002–03) and increasing the percentage of alternatively fuelled fleet cars to exceed 10 per cent. in the same period. We are reviewing mileage data by business area with the aim of reducing where delivery will not be comprised.
	Full year road mileage data for Defra and its executive agencies is available for the years 2002–03 and 2003–04. Collation of data for 2004/05 is not yet complete.
	
		
			  Miles (Thousand) CO 2  emissions (Thousand kg) 
		
		
			 2002–03 20,510 6,072 
			 2003–04 20,381 5,403

Energy Efficiency

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of properties to be assisted under the revised Warm Front scheme are expected to be improved to an energy efficiency rating of SAP 65 or higher.

Elliot Morley: It is our aim wherever practical aim to achieve a SAP rating of 65 for households assisted by Warm Front. As part of our monitoring of the delivery of Warm Front we will assess the number of households achieving that SAP rating.
	Where it is not possible to achieve this SAP rating we will offer applicants a benefit entitlement check to enable them to review whether they are receiving all state benefits they may be entitled to.

Fallen Stock

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment was made of the potential demand that would be placed on the fallen stock scheme during lambing in North West Wales prior to the scheme's implementation.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 18 July 2005
	As part of the business case for the scheme an assessment was made of the potential demand for fallen stock collection from the farming industry and the ability of the collection and disposal industry to meet the demand. At a national level, as the latter has consistently maintained, there has been sufficient capacity to meet demand.
	However, it was always anticipated that there may be localised areas, particularly during times of peak demand, where there may be difficulties in meeting the demand for collection services. Given that in advance of the scheme starting it was difficult to know how many farmers would join the scheme in a given area or which areas fallen stock collectors would wish to cover it was not possible to identify with any certainty the extent of such difficulties in advance.
	Unfortunately in parts of North West Wales only one collector was available. This collector made every effort to increase capacity for the lambing season but was unable to meet the demand. Positive steps have now been taken by the National Fallen Stock Company, the farming industry and the collector concerned to learn from this and ensure demand can be met for next year's lambing season.

Fallen Stock

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what consultations were undertaken with farming interests in Wales prior to the implementation of the fallen stock scheme.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 18 July 2005
	Extensive consultations took place with farming interests throughout the UK, including Wales, and the scheme was fully supported by all the major farming unions.

Fallen Stock

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what consideration was given to granting a derogation for North West Wales from the fallen livestock scheme prior to its implementation.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 18 July 2005
	Any derogation would need to be from the EU Animal By-Products Regulation which bans on-farm burial of fallen stock. The scheme is there to assist farmers in their compliance with the regulation. Under the regulation one of the criteria for meeting the requirements for a derogation is that the area concerned should have a low livestock density. This is not true for North West Wales and therefore it would be difficult for the National Assembly for Wales to make a case for granting one.

Fallen Stock

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many farmers have signed up to the Fallen Stock Scheme; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The National Fallen Stock Company, which runs the Scheme, is pleased with the response it has had from farmers with nearly 32,000 members in the UK joining since 22 November 2004.

Farm Animal Welfare Council

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the implications of farm assurance schemes for animal welfare, with particular reference to the recent report of the Farm Animal Welfare Council.

Ben Bradshaw: Assurance schemes can make a positive contribution to the welfare of farmed animals. The Government welcome the report of the Farm Animal Welfare Council on this subject, published on 30 June 2005. We are currently considering the report and will respond in due course.

Farm Subsidies

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the total amounts that will be paid in each of the next three years in export subsidies for UK agricultural products.

Jim Knight: Commission estimates of the total amounts that will be paid in export subsidies are only available on an EU-wide basis, up to 2006, as follows:
	
		€ million
		
			  EU export refunds 
		
		
			 2004 3,327 
			 2005 3,773 
			 2006 3,436 
		
	
	Source:
	EU Commission Provisional Draft Budget (PDB) 2006
	The UK accounted for approximately 10 per cent. of export refunds in 2004.

Farm Waste

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures are in place to ensure that the disposal of farm waste takes place as close to the farm of origin as possible; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The Agricultural Waste Stakeholders' Forum, together with the Environment Agency, is producing a National Recycling Directory. This is a web-based system and its key aim is to help farmers locate recovery and disposal outlets for their waste. The Directory will be available to every farmer who has access to the web and will assist in ensuring that the recovery or disposal of agricultural waste takes place as close as possible to the farm of origin. Farmers who do not have web access will be able to contact the Environment Agency's National Customer Contact Centre who will carry out a search on their behalf. The Environment Agency plans to launch the Directory to farmers and growers in the autumn 2005.

Farming

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State forEnvironment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of farm acreage in (a) England and (b) Northamptonshire is accurately digitally mapped for the entry level Stewardship scheme.

Jim Knight: holding answer 14 July 2005
	It is a requirement of the entry level scheme (ELS) that land must be digitally mapped on the Rural Land Register (RLR). To date 72.5 per cent. of farm hectarage has been digitally mapped in England and 97 per cent. in Northamptonshire.
	The Rural Development Service (RDS) has access to all digitally mapped land for ELS. Work is still ongoing within the RLR to process outstanding new land registrations and amendments to existing mapped land arising from the introduction of the single payment scheme and additional land being entered into ELS. Common land is not included in these figures.

Farming

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of the information requested in parts A to C of the Rural Payment Agency's customer registration form (CReg 01) is replicated on the single farm payment scheme's application form (SP5).

Jim Knight: holding answer 14 July 2005
	The proportion of information on the Rural Payments Agency's (RPA) Customer Register form (CReg 01) Parts A to C replicated on the single payment scheme form (SP5) is limited to the name and contact details of the applicant. In the majority of cases such details are pre-populated on the SP5 from the information held on RPA's customer register. Of the 41 questions listed at parts A to C of the CReg 01, only three (7 per cent.) are included on the SP5.

Gardens (Biodiversity)

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research her Department has commissioned to evaluate the contribution of suburban and urban back garden land to biodiversity; and what its main finding and recommendations were.

Jim Knight: The Department is jointly funding a research project by the University of Sheffield. The project (BUGS 2") is looking at the environmental and biodiversity value of domestic gardens in urban areas.
	The research builds on the work done in the previous BUGS project (funded by the Natural Research Environment Council) which examined the biodiversity value of gardens within a single city (Sheffield). The latest project, which is being carried out over three years (2004–07), widens the scope of this work to four cities: Leicester, Oxford, Cardiff and Belfast. The results, therefore, are not yet available. Further information about the project can be found at www.sheffield.ac.uk/uni/projects/bugs/.

Hydro Electricity

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether water mills converted to micro-generation of electricity are required to pay the Environment Agency for water abstraction.

Elliot Morley: The Environment Agency has a scheme of charges for abstractions, which is approved by Ministers. Charges are levied for licensed abstractions of water for most purposes, including for power generation. But where the installed generation capacity is less than 5 MW then no charges are payable.

Hydro Electricity

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what account is taken of the contribution to achieving renewable energy targets in setting water abstraction licensing costs for micro-generating water mills.

Elliot Morley: The Environment Agency has a scheme of charges for abstractions, which is approved by Ministers. Charges are levied for licensed abstractions of water for most purposes, including for power generation. But where the installed generation capacity is less than 5 MW then no charges are payable.
	Where charges are payable, they are calculated as a function of several factors: the volume of water licensed; the Environment Agency region in which the abstraction takes place; the source of the water; the season(s) in which water abstracted; and the purpose of abstraction, via a factor reflecting the net loss of water from the source.

Labelling

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will introduce a Produced in the UK logo scheme; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Government have no plans to introduced a Produced in UK" logo scheme. However, there is nothing to stop retailers and others in the food chain from indicating the UK as the country of origin where it is appropriate to do so. Guidance on country of origin labelling has been issued by the Food Standards Agency.

Licences

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which licences (a) her Department and (b) agencies of her Department issue; what the fee is for each; how much was collected in fees for each in the last year for which figures are available; what the issuing agency is for each; and on what date she approved the fees for each.

Jim Knight: A list of the licences issued by or on behalf of Defra when this topic was last reviewed (July 2004) will be made available in the Library of the House. There are nearly 200 licenses shown and there will almost certainly have been a few changes since. The table shows the issuing authority, where this was not core Defra.
	Further information to update the table could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

Milk (Primary Schools)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the promotion of liquid milk in primary schools over the next 12 months using EU grants.

Jim Knight: The European Commission has provided £50,000 with match funding from the trade organisation Dairy UK and the Milk Development Council, a Defra-sponsored NDPB, for action to encourage primary school children to drink more milk. The money will pay for a range of promotional activities in England and Wales in 2005–06, including during School Milk Week in October.
	Primary school children already have access to milk subsidised by the EU and an additional national top-up which, in England, amounts to an annual maximum of £1.5 million. We welcome further work by the industry to help inculcate a milk-drinking habit at an early age.

Organisation Internationale de la Vigne et du Vin

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost was of the UK's subscription to the Organisation Internationale de la Vigne et du Vin in the last year of membership; for what reasons her Department took the decision to withdraw from the organisation; what assessment she has made of the effects on the UK wine trade and wine producers of withdrawal; what opportunities the UK will have to influence policy at a technical level within the international wine trade after withdrawal; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Knight: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 4 March 2005, Official Report, column 1440W.

Police Authorities (Stray Dogs)

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether police authorities will be required, pursuant to regulations made under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005, to transfer to local authorities a sum equivalent to that which police authorities have been expending on stray dogs to reflect the transfer of responsibilities.

Ben Bradshaw: An appropriate transfer of funds from police authorities to local authorities will be completed before section 68 of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 commences. The sum to be transferred will be agreed between the Home Office, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Local Government Association.

Red Tractor Logo

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the guidelines are for the use of the Red Tractor logo; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Red Tractor logo is owned by the National Farmers Union and is administered by a private company, Assured Food Standards, which sets the conditions under which the logo can be used. The Government have no role in this process.

Single Payment Scheme

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many single payment scheme forms were received before the deadline but were then returned to applicants.

Jim Knight: A total of 7,031 single payment scheme applications forms were returned to applicants for amendment before the deadline of 16 May 2005.

Single Payment Scheme

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many single payment scheme forms were received (a) incomplete and (b) after the deadline for submissions.

Jim Knight: Until the Rural Payments Agency has captured all data and completed validation definitive figures are not available. To date 9,368 applications have been returned to applicants for amendment, including 7,031 which were returned before the 16 May deadline. While a total of 8,494 applications have been received after the 16 May 2005 deadline.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

Church Bells

Philip Hollobone: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, what (a) financial and (b) other help the Commissioners provide for the restoration of church bells to church towers which no longer have bells.

Stuart Bell: The Church Commissioners do not make moneys available for this purpose.
	The Archbishops' Council's Cathedral and Church Buildings Division, the relevant Diocesan Advisory Committee and the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers advise on all aspects of this subject including alternative sources of funding.

Redundant Churches

Mike Hancock: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, what disciplinary powers are available to the Church in dealing with clergymen in respect of settling the future of redundant churches.

Stuart Bell: There is no such thing as a disciplinary process in respect of redundant churches.
	The Church Commissioners are required under the provisions of the Pastoral Measure to publish a draft scheme making provision for the future of a redundant church. A notice is served on certain statutory bodies, which include the incumbent and parochial church council, but it is open to anyone who wishes to do so to make written representations to the Commissioners for or against the provisions of such a scheme. The Commissioners exercise a quasi-judicial role in adjudicating on any objections received.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Witnesses

Gary Streeter: To ask the Solicitor-General how many vulnerable witnesses have been interviewed by the police in each of the last five years.

Fiona Mactaggart: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested is not held on a central database and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

SCOTLAND

Departmental Conferences

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much the Department has spent on (a) organising and (b) sponsoring conferences in each of the last five years.

David Cairns: The Scotland Office spent the following on organising or sponsoring conferences in the last five years.
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 2000–01 0 
			 2001–02 0 
			 2002–03 3,296 
			 2003–04 0 
			 2004–05 0

Parades Review

James McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with the Scottish Executive regarding the implementation of the recommendations of the parades review conducted by Sir John Orr in Scotland;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the evidence of sectarianism in Scotland during the last marching season; and if he will make a statement.

David Cairns: These issues are devolved and therefore a matter for the Scottish Executive. However, I understand that Scottish Ministers accepted all the recommendations in Sir John Orr's review, which aim to professionalize and modernise the decision-making process for processions, and are now working with the police and local authorities to take these forward.

Scottish Parliament (Elections)

Jimmy Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 
	(1)  when his Department expects to make further changes to the system for the elections to the Scottish Parliament; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the effect that the additional member system of voting for elections to the Scottish Parliament has had on Scottish people's perception of the political system; what conclusions he has reached on the extent to which the additional member system has (a) encouraged and (b) discouraged political engagement; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Darling: I shall consider whether any changes to the voting system for elections to the Scottish Parliament might be appropriate in the light of the report and recommendations of the Commission on Boundary Differences and Voting Systems, under Sir John Arbuthnott's chairmanship, which is due to report to me at the end of this year.
	I expect that the commission will include in its report an assessment of the operation of the additional member system for elections to the Scottish Parliament.

Sickness Absence

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many days the Office has lost due to sickness in the past five years for which figures are available.

David Cairns: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999.
	The days lost to sickness in the Scotland Office, including the Office of the Advocate General, are set out in the annual report Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service" published by the Cabinet Office. This report gives details of both the average working days absence per staff-year and the number of staff years on which that calculation is based.
	The most recent report for 2003 was announced by ministerial statement on 1 November 2004, Official Report, column 1WS and copies placed in the Libraries of the House.
	The Scotland Office and Office of the Advocate General are committed to managing sickness absence effectively and to putting in place the recommendations of the recently published Managing Sickness Absence in the Public Sector".

Special Advisers

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list (a) the special advisers in his Department, (b) their specific areas of expertise and (c) the total cost of employing them in the latest year for which figures are available.

David Cairns: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, on Monday 4 July 2005, Official Report, column 36W.

CABINET OFFICE

Computer crime

Paul Burstow: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many cases of computer (a) hacking, (b) fraud and (c) theft his Department recorded in each year since 2001–02; and for each year, on how many occasions computer systems have been illegally accessed by computer hackers (i) within and (ii) outside his Department.

John Hutton: The number of cases of computer hacking recorded in the Department was one in 2003–04 and three in 2004–05. All four were perpetrated by persons outside the Department.
	There were no cases of computer fraud recorded in the Department in 2002–03, 2003–04 and 2004–05.
	The number of cases of computer theft (including laptops) recorded in the Department was five in 2002–03, 10 in 2003–04 and four in 2004–05.

Food Supplements Directive

Chris Grayling: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what role is played by the European Legislation Unit in his Department in formulating and implementing strategies for the achievement of Government objectives in relation to the food supplements directive; what action has been taken by his officials to influence the intentions of the European Commission in relation to legislation on food supplements following the initial ruling of the European Court of Justice on the directive; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: Responsibility for the food supplements directive rests with my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health. However, the Cabinet Office European Secretariat, is responsible for supporting the Prime Minister by co-ordinating European Union policy across all Departments at both ministerial and official level. As part of this remit officials have worked closely with the Food Standards Agency, Department of Health and the United Kingdom Permanent Representation to the European Union to formulate and implement strategies—including lobbying of the European Commission—for the achievement of Government objectives in relation to the food supplements directive.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Lighting

Norman Baker: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission if the Commission will take steps to amend the light settings in the toilets, bathrooms and public areas in Portcullis House so that they are activated by motion rather than remaining permanently on.

Nick Harvey: Energy saving measures of this nature for the parliamentary estate are implemented from an annual budget in order of pay-back period. The light fittings in toilets, bathrooms and public areas of Portcullis House will be equipped with motion detectors when their investment priority is reached. The office corridors in Portcullis House are not lit when adjacent office lighting is off.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Members' Salaries

Andrew Love: To ask the Leader of the House what an hon. Member's salary will be in each year from 2005–06 to the next expected Senior Salaries Review Body report; and if he will estimate what it would be if it were raised each year in line with the public and private sector comparators.

Geoff Hoon: It is not possible to provide the information requested.
	As the hon. Member will be aware, between reviews of parliamentary pay and allowances, Members' salaries are increased by the rate of revalorisation of the senior civil service pay bands and target rates. The next report from the Senior Salaries Review Body on senior civil service pay is expected in February 2006.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the security situation in Afghanistan.

Adam Ingram: The security situation in Afghanistan is stable. The UK and our international partners, in both the coalition and the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), continue to support the Government of Afghanistan build a safe and prosperous country.

Army Uniform

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the proposed (a) service uniform and (b) mess dress for the King's Lancashire and Border Regiment are; and where its (i) headquarters and (ii) museum will be based.

Don Touhig: Each of the new regiments to be created under the Future Infantry Structure has a committee made up of representatives from its antecedent regiments to consider a range of issues arising from the mergers. When the King's, Lancashire and Border Regiment Committee has agreed its recommendations on dress and accoutrement regulations these will be put to the Army Dress Committee for approval. We expect to be able to announce a decision later this year or early next.
	A separate review is under way to determine the most effective and efficient method of delivering Regimental Headquarters (RHQs) functions in the light of the Future Infantry Structure announcement. This review will consider the number and location of RHQs required across the restructured infantry. It is too early to speculate on what the outcomes of this review will be, but it is anticipated that a final decision will be announced in early 2006.
	At this stage no discussions have taken place regarding any changes to the location or structure of extant regimental museums. Any such discussions would be as much a matter for each individual museum's trustees as for the MOD. While the RHQ review will not look into the future of museums specifically, where museums are co-located with RHQs implications for the museums will be taken in to account in the consideration of options.

Body Armour

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many items of body armour issued to British troops since 2000 are unaccounted for.

Adam Ingram: No body armour has been unaccounted for since 2000. An audit of stockholdings of body armour undertaken last year by the Defence Logistics Organisation showed that stock holdings accounted for 66 per cent. of the total number of Enhanced Combat Body Armour components procured between 1992 and 2003. The remainder will have been consumed over this period as a result of wear and tear, and operational loss. I refer the hon. Member to the data for this period that was published by the House of Commons Defence Committee on 8 June 2004 (HC 635), as part of the Government's response to its Lessons of Iraq" inquiry.
	Combat body armour has now been designated as an item of personal issue to regular service personnel (excluding the Royal Navy but including the Royal Marines). Individuals are held accountable for the care of their body armour. If damaged or lost, it will be replaced in line with existing procedures.

Brigade Strength

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence of how many battalions each of the three medium-weight brigades will comprise.

Adam Ingram: Under future army structures, the three medium-weight brigades will each comprise of three Infantry Battalions.

Dean Hill Arms Depot

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the sale of the former arms depot at Dean Hill.

Don Touhig: The Dean Hill site comprises 24 underground bunkers, ancillary offices, workshops and stores and 35 residential properties all set in 235 ha of land including a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
	Where the land is still agricultural and has not been changed in character, former owners have been given the opportunity to buy back their former land at the current market value. This land is all outside the boundary fence and four former owners have expressed an interest in buying back their former land.
	Some of the agricultural land outside the boundary fence, which has no development potential, is being offered for sale by private treaty to the tenant farmers.
	34 of the 35 residential properties have already been sold and the remaining house is likely to be acquired by a housing association.
	The area within the boundary fence and the remaining adjoining land, part of which may have some development potential (a total of some 156 ha), is being offered for sale by tender in one lot on the open market. Marketing commenced the week beginning 27 June and a large number of inquiries have been received.
	Defence Estates, the Ministry of Defence Agency responsible for the defence estate, has had extensive discussions about the sale with the two planning authorities Test Valley borough council and Salisbury district council and the local community. Test Valley borough council produced a Planning Position Statement for that part of the depot which falls within their district and Salisbury district council are currently working on one for that part of the depot which falls within their area. The intention is that these statements will be adopted as supplementary planning policy.
	Defence Estates has also had discussions with English Nature about the Site of Special Scientific Interest, which has statutory protection and is an important site for chalk down-land, juniper bushes, yew trees and flora and fauna. Defence Estates has an agreement with English Nature (The Joint Declaration of Intent) whereby Defence Estates will offer surplus land of high conservation value to a conservation body nominated by English Nature at market value. English nature nominated Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust and extensive negotiations have been held between the Trust and Defence Estates but at the present time it seems unlikely that the Trust will be acquiring any part of the depot..

Defence Export Services

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the individuals, companies, organisations and Government bodies which attended the Defence Export Services Organisation Symposium held on 9 March.

Adam Ingram: I will place in the Library of the House a list of the companies, organisations and Government Departments from which representatives were expected at the Defence Export Services Organisation Symposium. No record is available identifying the individuals who were present at the event.

Defence Export Services

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the (a) programme and (b) minutes of the Defence Export Services Organisation Symposium held on 9 March.

Adam Ingram: The proceedings of the Defence Export Services Organisation (DESO) Symposium were not minuted. The day's programme, and the speeches by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence, the noble Lord the Minister for Defence Procurement, and my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, will be placed in the Library of the House.

Defensive Aid Suites

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the contract with Akers Krutbruk Protection AB for defensive aid suites; and what the purpose is of defensive aid suites.

Adam Ingram: A defensive aids suite (DAS) describes a group of integrated sensors and counter-measures for self-defence of armoured fighting vehicles and other military platforms. A DAS is capable of providing automatic or semi-automatic response to threats, thereby increasing survivability without the weight burden of additional armour.
	A contract was awarded to Akers Krutbruk Protection AB in May 2005. The contract will enable the Department to assess and further develop the armoured fighting vehicles effectiveness of DAS systems.

Departmental Budget

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was allocated to the Department for each year since 1975.

Don Touhig: Final annual allocations to the Ministry of Defence are voted by Parliament in the spring supplementary estimates, copies of which are held in the Library of the House. In addition, the Defence Analytical Services Agency publishes annual statistics on defence expenditure, available on its website, which include comparative figures over time. These figures are, however, based on actual outturns, rather than allocations. The hon. Member will wish to note also that financial planning and management moved from a cash to a resource basis in two incremental stages from 2001–02 and 2003–04, with the result that direct comparisons across these periods are not possible.

Future Rapid Effects System

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Panther Command and Liaison vehicle is an integral part of the Future Rapid Effects System package.

Adam Ingram: Panther is being procured to provide a multi-purpose vehicle for the Army employed primarily in command and liaison tasks. While it is not an integral element of the Future Rapid Effect System (FRES) programme it is one of a number of options being assessed during the initial Assessment Phase to establish whether it has the potential to fulfil some elements of the FRES requirement.

HMS Invincible

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of HMS Invincible.

Adam Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him about the planned decommissioning date for HMS Invincible on 13 July 2005, Official Report, column 1078W.

Iraq

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which document Colonel Terrington saw in December 2003 to which the Minister of State referred in his letter to the hon. Member for Camarthen, East and Dinefwr of 31 January.

Adam Ingram: Colonel Terrington saw a document on 26 December 2003, entitled CJTF-7 CG MEMO—CJTF-7 Interrogation and Counter-Resistance Policy" dated 28 September 2003. We have no further information on the content of that document, which was not the extant CJTF-7 interrogation policy at that time.

Iraq

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with his US counterpart regarding the co-ordination of withdrawal of US and UK troops from Iraq.

John Reid: I hold regular discussions with the United States Secretary of Defense about progress in establishing a free, stable and democratic Iraq. We both agree that coalition forces should remain in Iraq for as long as the Iraqi Government judge that the coalition is required to provide security and to assist the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF).
	Factors in determining the scope and timeline for eventual UK force level reductions in Iraq will include: the readiness of the ISF to take responsibility for the range of security tasks; the overall security situation; and progress in the political process.

Japanese Internees

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many applications under the ex gratia scheme for British groups interned by the Japanese during the second world war have been refused on grounds of their not satisfying the bloodlink criteria; if he will reconsider these applications in response to the report of the parliamentary and health service ombudsman of 12 July; and if he will make a statement.

Don Touhig: We estimate that some 1,100 claims were rejected because they did not meet the bloodlink" criterion. As will be clear from my written statement on 13 July 2005, Official Report, columns 28–29WS, we do not consider that the parliamentary and health service ombudsman's report provides grounds for reviewing these cases. The Department's rejection of claims on the bloodlink" criterion is also affected by the recent High Court decision on the application for judicial review by Mrs. Diana Elias. The Secretary of State for Defence is considering his response to this judgment.

Japanese Internees

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking in response to the conclusion of the parliamentary and health service ombudsman (HC 324) that there was injustice to Professor Jack Hayward and others caused by the maladministration of the ex gratia scheme for British groups interned by the Japanese during the second world war; and if he will establish a departmental inquiry.

Don Touhig: I refer my hon. Friend to my written ministerial statement on 13 July 2005, Official Report, columns 28–29WS. I have no plan to undertake a departmental inquiry.

Japanese Internees

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the reasons were for his rejection of the first and second remedies proposed by the parliamentary and health service ombudsman in the case of Professor Jack Hayward and maladministration in relation to the devising, announcing and operation of the ex gratia scheme for British groups interned by the Japanese during the second world war (HC 324); and if he will make a statement.

Don Touhig: The Government's reasons for rejecting the first and second remedies proposed by the parliamentary and health service ombudsman are set out fully in their response which was published as an annex to the ombudsman's report (4th Report—Session 2005–2006, HC 324) when it was laid before Parliament on 12 July 2005.

Military Uniform Contract

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library the minutes of the recent meeting on the cut and sew contract; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: If my hon. Friend would provide details of the meeting to which he is referring I would be pleased to consider his request.

Military Uniform Contract

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many regiments have been provided with battle dress made in China under the cut and sew contract.

Adam Ingram: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. While it would be possible to identify the provenance of a specific item of clothing from the contract number on its label, there is no mechanism, nor any business requirement, to track general issues of clothing to operational units by country of manufacture.

Natural Disasters (Military Assistance)

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 13 June 2005, Official Report, columns 15–16W, on natural disasters (military assistance), if he will list the improvements identified in the review of operations following the tsunami.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence has carried out a formal Lessons Study conducted by the Directorate of Operational Capability, to identify what improvements could be made in any such future operation. The lessons identified will inform the Humanitarian and Disaster Relief Operations Doctrine and associated procedures.
	In addition, the MOD is undertaking steps to improve the information flow both within the Department and cross-Government, in particular, enhancing liaison and potentially information infrastructures with DFID and the Post Conflict Reconstruction Unit. This fully supports the Government's effort to reform cross-Government interoperability.

Negligence Discharges

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many infantry private soldiers have been subject to negligence discharge from the (a) Regular Army and (b) Territorial Army since hostilities started in Iraq.

Don Touhig: Our records indicate that, between March 2003 and June 2005, 80 Regular Army infantry private soldiers, and two Territorial Army infantry private soldiers, have been disciplined as a result of negligent discharges in Iraq.

Project Aquatrine

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the works that are (a) planned and (b) under way in Salisbury constituency in connection with Project Aquatrine; who the contractors are; and if he will make a statement.

Don Touhig: The Aquatrine Private Finance Initiative (PFI) commercial arrangements involve the leasing of up to 28 types of water and wastewater assets to the Service Provider, Brey Services Ltd. who is responsible for operation and maintenance, and capital development of the assets over the 25-year period of the PFI. Brey is required to maintain a three-yearly Rolling Operations Programme, which outlines their prioritised capital development programme. Brey's Capital Solutions Partner for the Salisbury area is Earth Tech Engineering. Brey's Rolling Operations Programme currently includes 21 planned capital works schemes. Of these, 17 are still in the planning stage and contracts have not been awarded. There are currently four capital works schemes for which the contractor is known. These are:
	Boscombe Down Sewage Treatment Works development commencing 18 July 2005—contractor is Delta Water Services;
	Salisbury Plain Training Area Knook Camp Water Treatment Works development commencing September 2005—contractor is Earth Tech Engineering;
	Boscombe Down Water Network development commencing 6 October 2005—contractor is Earth Tech Engineering; and
	Warminster Garrison Sewage Treatment Works development commencing December 2005—contractor is Earth Tech Engineering;
	There are no capital works schemes under way at the present time.

Queen's Lancashire Regiment

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many and what percentage of serving Queen's Lancashire Regiment personnel were recruited (a) in Lancashire and (b) from overseas;
	(2)  how many and what percentage of serving King's Own Borderers were recruited (a) in Cumbria and (b) from overseas;
	(3)  how many and what percentage of serving members of the Queen's Lancashire Regiment were recruited in Cumbria;
	(4)  how many and what percentage of serving members of the King's Own Borderers were recruited in Lancashire;
	(5)  how many and what percentage of serving King's Regiment personnel were recruited from (a) Cumbria, (b) Lancashire and (c) overseas;
	(6)  how many (a) officers, (b) non-commissioned officers and (c) other ranks he expects to be made redundant or allowed early retirement following the merger of the King's, King's Own Borderers and Queen's Lancashire Regiment; what the strength is of each regiment; and what percentage is overseas recruits.

Don Touhig: The following table sets out the trained strength of the King's Own Royal Border Regiment (KORBR), the King's Regiment (KINGS) and the Queen's Lancashire Regiment (QLR) as at 1 May 2005. A breakdown between personnel of UK nationality and foreign nationality is shown.
	
		
			 Nationality Officers Soldiers Total 
		
		
			 King's Own Royal Border Regiment
			 UK 80 490 570 
			 Overseas 0 45 45 
			 Total 80 540 615 
			 Overseas as percentage 0.0 8.6 7.5 
			 
			 King's Regiment
			 UK 65 505 570 
			 Overseas — 25 30 
			 Total 65 535 595 
			 Overseas as percentage — 4.9 4.5 
			 
			 Queen's Lancashire Regiment
			 UK 65 605 670 
			 Overseas 0 5 5 
			 Total 65 610 675 
			 Overseas as percentage 0.0 1.0 0.9 
		
	
	'—' indicates a number fewer than five.
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest five.
	2. Totals and sub totals are rounded separately so may not equal the sum of their parts.
	It is not possible to provide a breakdown of personnel by the recruiting centre in which they attested because this information is not held centrally. However, recruiting centres recruit to the infantry as a whole and not exclusively for their local infantry regiment. Only on completion of initial training are recruits finally assigned to a particular regiment, the location of attestation having no bearing on this decision.
	Redundancy is one of the mechanisms being utilised to achieve a manning balance post implementation of the Future Infantry Structure. To the maximum extent possible those posts released from the reduction to the infantry will be reinvested elsewhere in the Army and personnel re-rolled and re-trained. However, in order to prevent structural imbalances and career blockages, 121 officers have been, and up to 195 soldiers will be, selected from across the infantry for redundancy under the Army Redundancy Programme 2006–07. There is no other Army redundancy programme in place at the current time.
	Infantry officers have now been notified of their redundancy and will be retired from the Army by 30 June 2006. All of the officers who were selected for redundancy had expressed a prior interest in accepting the package on offer. The officers selected are drawn broadly from across the infantry. With regard to specific regiments, two of those selected are serving with KINGS, five with KORBR and four with QLR.
	Soldiers will be selected for redundancy in spring 2006 and retired from the Army by 30 April 2007.

RAF Innsworth

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will ensure that personnel from RAF Innsworth are not disadvantaged when applying for posts at High Wycombe following the transfer of operations; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: Ministry of Defence policy and procedures will be followed. It is envisaged that the majority of posts across the collocated RAF HQ will be openly competed. In the first instance the competition will be amongst existing civilian employees at Headquarters Personnel and Training Command, Strike Command, and those in the MOD-wide redeployment pool.
	For service personnel, career aspirations and commitments will be taken into account under normal career management, as is the case now.

RAF Innsworth

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost of redundancies from (a) RAF Innsworth and (b) High Wycombe, following the transfer of operations; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: Redundancies resulting from the planned collocation of the RAF Headquarters at High Wycombe form part of the 10,000 civilian post reductions announced as part of the July 2004 Defence White Paper Delivering Security in a Changing World". It is not yet known how many staff, or at which grades, will be made redundant at each site. It is therefore too early to estimate the cost of these redundancies.

RAF Innsworth

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost of the removal and transfer of (a) staff and (b) operations from RAF Innsworth to High Wycombe; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The total estimated cost of removal and transfer of staff and operations for the collocated RAF Headquarters at High Wycombe is in the region of £23 million. £6 million is for staff costs, £3 million of which is identified for staff relocation packages, in accordance with the appropriate departmental guidelines. The other £3 million, spread over a period often years, is for additional housing cost allowance payable to civilian staff. £17 million is for operational costs.

RAF Innsworth

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recruitment and retention allowance is paid to staff at (a) RAF Innsworth and (b) High Wycombe; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: A recruitment and retention allowance (RRA) of £2,000 is paid to all civilian staff below the senior civil service at RAF High Wycombe. No recruitment and retention allowance is currently paid at RAF Innsworth.
	The RRA was taken into account in the investment appraisal which underpinned the decision to collocate the two headquarters at RAF High Wycombe.

RAF Innsworth

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of Statefor Defence what steps he has taken to obtain theagreement of other agencies to use the RAF Innsworth site following closure; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: We are still considering whether RAF Innsworth might be suitable for alternative defence requirements. If none are identified the site will be placed on the English Partnerships (EP) Public Asset Register to allow other Government Departments and agencies 40 days to declare an interest.

RAF Innsworth

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what interest has been expressed by developers in the RAF Innsworth site following closure; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: None at this stage. This may be because the RAF Innsworth site has not at present been declared surplus to MOD requirements.

RAF Innsworth

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will extend the date for consultation on the closure of RAF Innsworth; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: Any request from the trade unions for an extension to the consultation period, identifying the length of time required and defining the reasons why it is needed, will be considered very carefully.

RAF Innsworth

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the decision was made to move the Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency from the RAF Innsworth site; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The planning assumption that the Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency (AFPAA) should move from Innsworth in mid-2008 was agreed as part of the RAF HQ collocation study in consultation with relevant stakeholders. Funding for the relocation of AFPAA from Innsworth was included in collocation costings. This decision formed part of my written statement of 16 June 2005, Official Report, column 21WS.

RAF Innsworth

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he first considered the recommendation to close RAF Innsworth; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: A recommendation on the collocation of Headquarters Strike Command and Headquarters Personnel and Training Command was submitted to me on 13 May 2005 and a decision was announced on 16 June 2005, Official Report, column 21WS. The decision was not taken lightly and followed a comprehensive study into the feasibility of collocating the two headquarters (currently based at RAF High Wycombe and RAF Innsworth) by rationalising and collocating them on a single site.

RAF Innsworth

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the financial effect on the Innsworth area of the decision to close the RAF site; what plans he has to provide financial assistance to the area following the closure; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The RAF HQ Collocation Business Case examined all direct costs and benefits as well as other considerations such as economic impact. We estimate that the 1,800 service and civilian jobs on the Innsworth site make up approximately 3.5 per cent. of local employment. However, as jobs on the site reduce progressively over the next three years, the economic impact will clearly depend on the future use of the site. We will work with local employers and the local authorities to keep them informed of the progress of the collocation and enable them to plan as effectively as possible.

RAF Innsworth

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when it was decided to include the Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency in the review of operations on the RAF Innsworth site; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency (AFPAA) was automatically considered as part of the RAF Headquarters collocation study, which has been under way since February 2004. The cost of relocating AFPAA was taken into account in the Investment Appraisal.

RAF Menwith Hill

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the financial agreement in place between the MOD Police Agency and the US authorities at RAF Menwith Hill for services rendered.

Adam Ingram: I am placing the information requested in the Library of the House.

Royal Navy (Personnel)

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of staff have been employed in the Royal Navy for each year since 1980–81; and if he will make a statement.

Don Touhig: Trained naval services strength (including Royal Marines) on 1 April each year since 1980 are given in the following table:
	
		
			 As at 1 April each year UK Regulars(1) FTRS 
		
		
			 1980 (2)63,700 — 
			 1981 65,540 — 
			 1982 67,270 — 
			 1983 65,820 — 
			 1984 65,390 — 
			 1985 64,200 — 
			 1986 61,540 — 
			 1987 59,410 — 
			 1988 58,840 — 
			 1989 57,700 — 
			 1990 56,660 — 
			 1991 55,510 — 
			 1992 55,930 — 
			 1993 55,280 — 
			 1994 52,410 — 
			 1995 48,200 — 
			 1996 45,550 — 
			 1997 41,680 — 
			 1998 40,360 130 
			 1999 39,070 250 
			 2000 38,540 340 
			 2001 38,020 520 
			 2002 36,770 720 
			 2003 36,590 1,010 
			 2004 36,380 1,090 
			 2005 35,420 900 
		
	
	(1) UK Regulars includes nursing services and excludes full-time reserve services (FTRS) and mobilised reservists.
	(2) Only available rounded to nearest 100. The rest of the figures are rounded to the nearest 10. When rounding to 10, numbers ending in 5 have been rounded to the nearest 20 to avoid systematic bias.

Royal Ordnance Factory

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the value is of contracts to be produced at Chorley Royal Ordnance Factory in 2005–06.

Adam Ingram: Chorley Royal Ordnance Factory is part of BAE Systems Land Systems. The level and value of production activity at Chorley are commercial matters for BAE Systems.

School Fees

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State forDefence how much was spent by his Department onschool fees in each of the last three years; who is entitled to claim the cost of fees; what the maximum amount payable per claimant is; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 18 July 2005
	The net sum paid annually in respect of service education allowances for boarding and day school fees by the Ministry of Defence in each of the past three years is shown in the table:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 2002–03 69,488,884.11 
			 2003–04 81,650,940.11 
			 2004–05 91,078,265.42 
		
	
	In addition to the above amounts, service education allowances are subject to income tax and national insurance contributions (NIC) when paid to service personnel based in the UK. These are paid by the MOD under grossing up arrangements through a PAYE settlement agreement (PSA). The income tax and NIC PSA payment amounts are not held centrally and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
	Service education allowances are available to all regular service personnel, provided they meet the eligibility criteria. In order to claim any of the service education allowances, the service claimant must fully accept the overriding principle that their family will accompany them on each posting, whether in the United Kingdom or overseas.
	There are a range of service education allowances available, depending on whether the child is attending a boarding or day school, as a junior or senior pupil and whether they have a special educational need. The various maximum annual rates of service education allowance per child from 2002 onwards are shown in the table.
	
		£
		
			  2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 
		
		
			 Boarding 
			 Junior Pupil 8,700 9,525 10,224 10,488 
			 Senior Pupil 11,166 12,060 12,990 13,670 
			  
			 Day 
			 Junior Pupil 5,163 5,742 6,165 6,426 
			 Senior Pupil 6,900 7,494 8,022 8,358 
			 Special educational needs addition (SENA) 18,000 18,000 19,389 2,406 
			 SENA (day) 12,000 12,000 12,846 13,383

Second World War Anniversary Ceremonies

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the Ministers in each Department who were present in an official capacity at ceremonies to mark the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War; and if he will make a statement.

Don Touhig: On National Commemoration Day, Sunday 10 July, the Prime Minister attended the three events organised by the Ministry of Defence in London, at Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace and Horse Guards Parade. He was accompanied by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Defence. I also attended as the Minister for Veterans. In addition, my right hon. Friend the Minister for the armed forces attended commemorative events in Edinburgh and the noble Lord, the Minister for Defence Procurement attended a commemorative event at the National Memorial Arboretum, near Lichfield, Staffordshire.
	Other Departmental Ministers were invited to attend the events in London and I am sure others will have attended similar events which took place throughout the country. However, we do not have a definitive list of Ministers who attended such events in an official capacity.

Sickness Absence

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many days the Department has lost due to sickness in the past five years for which figures are available.

Don Touhig: The following tables show the numbers of days' sickness absence for non-industrial and skill-zone (former industrial) civil servants in the Ministry of Defence since 1999.
	
		Non-industrial civil servants in the Ministry of Defence
		
			  Sickness absence (working days) 
		
		
			 Calendar year  
			 1999 538,700 
			 2000 520,100 
			 2001 No reliable data available 
			 2002 — 
			 2003 481,000 
			   
			 Financial year  
			 2003–04 494,100 
		
	
	
		Skill-zone civil servants in the Ministry of Defence
		
			  Sickness absence (working days) 
		
		
			 Calendar year  
			 1999 320,990 
			 2000 No reliable data available 
			 2001 304,900 
			 2002 259,700 
			 2003 209,900 
			   
			 Financial Year  
			 2003–04 187,100 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Excludes MOD staff in Trading Fund Agencies and Royal Fleet Auxiliaries.
	2. Sickness absence days are based on full-time equivalent (FTE) working days lost. For example, if a part-time employee (working 50 per cent. full-time hours) is sick for seven calendar days, this is five working days lost and 2.5 FTE working days lost.
	3. Absences with unreasonably long values have been edited and some logical inconsistencies corrected.
	4. There is no sickness absence information for skill-zone staff available for 2000 or for non- industrial for 2001, for data quality reasons.

Surface Fleet

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 28 June 2005, Official Report, column 1400W, on the surface fleet, if he will identify each of the 25 destroyers and frigates to which reference is made in Cm 6269 (page 18); and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The destroyers and frigates that are currently in-service with the RN are as follows:
	Type 42 Batch 2 destroyers:
	HMS Exeter
	HMS Southampton
	HMS Nottingham
	HMS Liverpool
	Type 42 Batch 3 destroyers:
	HMS Manchester
	HMS Gloucester
	HMS Edinburgh
	HMS York
	Type 22 frigates:
	HMS Cornwall
	HMS Cumberland
	HMS Campbeltown
	HMS Chatham
	Type 23 frigates:
	HMS Argyll
	HMS Lancaster
	HMS Iron Duke
	HMS Monmouth
	HMS Montrose
	HMS Westminster
	HMS Northumberland
	HMS Richmond
	HMS Somerset
	HMS Sutherland
	HMS Kent
	HMS Portland
	HMS St Albans
	As stated in Cm 6269, we have a requirement for eight Type 45 destroyers. The capability provided by the Type 45s will progressively succeed the capability provided by the Type 42 destroyers from 2009.

Taxis

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 23 June 2005, Official Report, column 1146W, on taxis, what estimate he has made of the cost of providing the information requested.

Don Touhig: The general procedure in the Ministry of Defence is that taxi fares are paid by the hirers and reclaimed from the Department, often combined with other elements of travelling and subsistence claims. The costs of taxi fares are not collected centrally or recorded separately once claims are authorised for payment. Providing the information would therefore entail personal analyses of claims by every serviceman and civil servant. Receipts are only required to be retained for three years after the end of the financial year in which claims are made, and information would not be obtainable from personnel who have left the services or Department.
	I do not consider this a practicable exercise, and it is therefore unrealistic to attempt to estimate the very considerable cost of mounting it.

Territorial Army (Chorley)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the (a) role and (b) use made of the Territorial Army barracks at Chorley.

Don Touhig: Chorley TA Centre is home to: Chorley Detachment of 5 General Support (GS) Medical Regiment (Volunteer); 29 Company Detachment of 3 (Volunteer) Military Intelligence (MI) Battalion; Chorley Detachment Army Cadet Force; and Salerno Company Headquarters of Lancashire Army Cadet Force. In total these units generally use the TA centre three evenings per week and weekends to train personnel.

Troop Redeployment

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration he has given to the redeployment of UK troops from (a) Iraq, (b) Afghanistan and (c) the UK or elsewhere to Iran; and under what circumstances he might consider such action in future.

Adam Ingram: We have not considered, nor do we have any plans to redeploy troops from Iraq, Afghanistan, the UK or elsewhere to Iran.

Wormwood Scrubs

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 28 June 2005, Official Report, column 1402W on Wormwood Scrubs, whether development proposals include traffic management schemes.

Don Touhig: The London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham is obliged to consult the Ministry of Defence under the provisions of the Wormwood Scrubs Act 1879 on development proposals on Wormwood Scrubs. Development proposals are defined in Section 4 of the Act as
	... lay out, drain, level, plant and improve the Scrubs."
	The definition covers all but the most minor of works. Therefore the requirement for this Department's approval would depend on the nature of any works needed under a proposed traffic management scheme.
	I have previously referred to a related agreement in the form of a Memorandum of Agreement dated 1 October 1980. This is relevant as it sets out the management arrangements in respect of Wormwood Scrubs between the Secretary of State for Defence and the Council and further defines under what circumstances this Department's approval is required. The pertinent section of the 1980 agreement states:
	The Secretary of State for Defence agrees for the purposes of the Act that the Greater London Council may carry out on the non-military portion of the Scrubs any operation to lay out drain level plant and improve the Scrubs without requiring his further approval provided the operation is otherwise lawful and does not form part of a major scheme likely to affect the general character of any part of the Scrubs and does not require the consent of the Secretary of State for the Environment."
	Public roads would not be a military part of the Scrubs.
	Therefore the Ministry of Defence would expect to be consulted if the Council proposed a development falling within the definition of the Act over the military portion of the Scrubs or was a major scheme.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Disabled Facilities Grant

Martyn Jones: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the conclusions were of the Disabled Facilities Grant review.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 18 July 2005
	The Disabled Facilities Grant programme is subject to an interdepartmental review and a team from Bristol university is currently looking at the operation of the programme including the means test. The review is continuing and Ministers will put forward any proposals for change in due course.

Fire Service

Alan Simpson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which fire authorities have currently set performance targets relating to the reduction of deaths and injuries in non-accidental, non-domestic emergencies.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, the Government's new fire Public Service Agreement target for England is, by 2010, to reduce the number of accidental fire related deaths in the home by 20 per cent. and the number of deliberate fires by 10 per cent.. Since 2003 every Fire and Rescue Authority (FRA) has been required to produce a local integrated risk management plan (IRMP) that sets out the authority's assessment of local risk to life and, in line with this analysis, how it is going to deploy its resources to tackle these risks and improve the safety of all sections of society. The Fire and Rescue National Framework requires FRAs to set out in their IRMPs, the targets and standards it will apply to meet the specific pattern of local risk.

Fire Service

David Amess: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many of the convergence work tasks for the fire control project have been completed; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The work on convergence is being led by the Chief Fire Officers' Association (CFOA) and supported by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. Its aim is to enable fire and rescue services to communicate and work together effectively by introducing standard procedures and terminology for the national radio system and control centre network. 34 convergence products have been developed and are out for consultation with fire and rescue services. Seven are under development. In addition the work to date has identified a further ten products for development.

Homelessness

Sarah Teather: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  what average length of time a homeless household in temporary accommodation in each Government Office Region had to wait before being made an offer of a permanent home in each year since 1997;
	(2)  what average length of time a homeless household in temporary accommodation in each local authority area in London had to wait before being made an offer of a permanent home in (a) 1997 and (b) 2004.

Yvette Cooper: Information reported quarterly by local authorities on their activities under homelessness legislation includes the number of households that, during the quarter, left temporary accommodation provided by the authority, or who were no longer registered as homeless at home", by the length of stay in broad time bands.
	A table which presents the proportion of households in each time band for each year since 1997, by Government Office region, along with a corresponding table presenting the position for London boroughs in 1997 and 2004, has been placed in the Library of the House. These include households who have been given settled accommodation by the authority, but also those who left temporary accommodation voluntarily as well as those who ceased to be eligible or who became intentionally homeless.
	The Government have set a target to halve the number of households in temporary accommodation by 2010. Homeless acceptances in the first quarter of 2005 were 20 percent. lower than the corresponding period in 2004.

Housing

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what powers are available to him in relation to directing English Partnerships to use land they hold for social housing.

Yvette Cooper: English Partnerships' statutory purpose and powers are laid out in the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 and the New Towns Act 1981. These acts provide the Secretary of State with powers to issue guidance and make directions to English Partnerships (EP) in relation to government policies and objectives. The Secretary of State does not however have the powers to appoint English Partnerships as a housing authority. Therefore EP acquires, remediates and disposes of land, providing housing through partnerships and joint ventures with housing developers.
	The Secretary of State also approves English Partnerships' Corporate plan each year which sets out EPs' corporate priorities for the corporate plan period.

Modular Building Techniques (Fire Risk)

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment the Government have made of the fire risk from modular building techniques; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: 'Modular buildings' can include a wide range of different materials and construction techniques and many have been in production for a considerable period, using well-tested approaches. We have not undertaken any detailed assessment of the potential fire risk from modular building techniques.
	However, we intend to look at the fire safety aspects of such innovative construction products and techniques, including modular buildings, in the research programme planned for this financial year, which underpins the health and safety requirements of the Building Regulations.

New Buildings

Lynne Jones: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to require building regulations to specify that all new buildings have built-in means of microgeneration of energy.

Yvette Cooper: The Building Regulations set levels of required energy performance rather than prescribing solutions. This approach offers designers the flexibility to choose solutions that best meet their needs, that are cost-effective and practical, and that enable innovation. It would not therefore be appropriate to prescribe particular microgeneration technologies.

Pensions

James McGovern: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the terms of reference are for the tri-partite commission discussing changes to public sector pensions.

Phil Woolas: The terms of reference for the tri-partite committee have been published on the local Government pension scheme website and can be found at www.xoq83.dial.pipex.com.

Sustainable Communities

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment his Department has made of (a) the funding requirements of and (b) the sources of funding for the North Northamptonshire Together local delivery partnership; and what assessment he has madeof the partnership's capacity to deliver the sustainable communities spatial strategy for North Northamptonshire.

Yvette Cooper: The draft business plan for North Northants Together indicates that an income of £1.473 million is needed to cover expenditure in the 2005–06 financial year. This total includes in kind contributions from partners. The sources of funding are the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (£500,000), the five relevant local authorities, emda, English Partnerships and Catalyst Corby. Details for future years are still under consideration. North Northants Together has submitted a bid for funding from the Growth Area Fund for the years 2006–07 and 2007–08. A decision on the bid will be announced in due course.
	North Northants Together was formally established in February 2005. Its draft business plan outlines how the partnership aims to deliver the sustainable communities spatial strategy for North Northamptonshire. It addresses the capacity of the delivery vehicle. The business plan will be an important reference point for future decisions on funding and for reviewing performance.

Taxis

David Davies: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much the Department has spent on taxis in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was created following Machinery of Government changes on 29 May 2002. Expenditure on taxi hire in the three financial years completed since then is as follows.
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 2002–03 92,395 
			 2003–04 138,465 
			 2004–05 145,186; 
		
	
	There is also a contract in place at Ashdown House Hastings whereby officials order taxis for local use and the bill is repaid centrally. This contract is managed by the Department for Transport on behalf of both Departments, but prior to the current financial year DfT did not recharge the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for its expenditure. It is thus not possible to provide precise figures for ODPM's expenditure on the contract in the three years above, but based pro-rata on the spend in this financial year, the figures are likely to be between £1,000 and £2,000 a year.

Unitary Local Government

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what expenditure the Government have undertaken relating to unitary local government since the north east regional referendum.

Phil Woolas: No expenditure has been undertaken relating to unitary local government since the north east regional referendum other than some portion, not separately identified, of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's administration costs relating to a small team whose responsibilities include dealing with questions about local governance and structures.

TRANSPORT

A14 (Blackbridge)

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the proposed new Blackbridge bridge over the A14 between Cranford and Burton Latimer for pedestrians, cycles and horses will be constructed.

Stephen Ladyman: Subject to available funding, work on the new bridge should start in November 2005. It will take approximately 12 weeks to complete.

Road Hauliers (Costs)

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to increase the costs to road hauliers to cover the full social and environmental costs, including greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, noise, congestion, accidents and deaths, of transporting freight by road.

John Healey: I have been asked to reply.
	Decisions on taxation are taken by the Chancellor on a Budget-by-Budget basis, taking account of all the relevant social, economic and environmental factors.
	In addition to this, as the Secretary of State for Transport announced on 5 July 2005, Official Report, column 173, the Government are looking into how all lorries can contribute to the costs that they impose on UK roads as part of a wider national road pricing scheme.

South Hampshire Rapid Transit Scheme

Peter Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether a decision on the funding of the South Hampshire Rapid Transit Scheme phase 1 will be announced before Parliament adjourns for the summer recess.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 18 July 2005
	I will announce a decision in due course.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Drugs (Afghanistan)

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the supply of illegal drugs from Afghanistan to the UK.

Ian Pearson: Support for Afghan action to tackle the production and supply of heroin remains a top priority for HMG. We are committed to working with Afghanistan for the long-term. We are spending around £176 million over 2003–06 for this purpose. As lead nation, the UK is helping the Government of Afghanistan to deliver their National Drug Control Strategy. We work closely with international partners and with Afghanistan's neighbours on this.

Israel

John MacDougall: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his latest assessment is of progress made by Israel with its disengagement plan.

Jack Straw: Disengagement is a real opportunity for progress in resolving the Middle East conflict. Israel has begun the preparatory phase and, crucially, there is now some co-operation between the two sides. We are working with both sides to support this activity. The G8 Summit this July agreed to support a three year $3 billion per annum package of assistance for Gaza.

Iraq

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what evidence he has received of human rights abuses by members of the Iraqi security services.

Ian Pearson: I have seen the Human Rights Watch Report dated 25 January this year and we are aware of allegations of abuse by members of the Iraqi security forces and people wearing police uniform as well as recent press reports. We condemn all abuse and have raised our concerns with the Iraqi authorities at the highest levels. They have told us they take these allegations very seriously and that they will investigate them.

Iraq

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the Iraqi Government on the development of trade unions in Iraq.

Jack Straw: The Government attach great importance to developing trade unions and civil society in Iraq. We welcomed the provision in the Transitional Administrative Law giving Iraqis the right to join a trade union. Trade unions can make a positive contribution to the development of a stable, democratic and open society in Iraq and to the modernisation of the Iraqi economy. The Prime Minister and the FCO Minister of State met a delegation of Iraqi trade unionists on 28/29 June and reaffirmed the Government's support for the development of trade unions in Iraq .

Lebanon

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken to disarm Hezbollah forces in southern Lebanon in compliance with Security Council resolution 1559.

Jack Straw: We support full implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1559, including the disarmament of Hezbollah, and will work with the new Lebanese Government in its efforts to deliver the political, economic and security sector reforms that will be necessary to resolve this complex task. Yesterday, the EU external relations council was briefed at my invitation, by Terje Roed-Larsen, the UN Special Envoy for the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1559.

EU Budget

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on capping the EU budget.

Douglas Alexander: The Government has regular contacts with all our EU partners. We have, as presidency, started a process of consultation with other member states, with a view to making progress in the negotiations to set the EU budget from 2007 to 2013.
	The UK remains convinced that a budget worth no more than 1 per cent. of EU GNI is sufficient to meet the needs and priorities of the enlarged Union.

Zimbabwe

Andrew MacKay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Government's relations with Zimbabwe.

Jack Straw: It is not least because of our long standing ties with Zimbabwe that the pain of its people for the misgovernment it has suffered is so keenly felt in the United Kingdom, including in this House. Since September 2001, the UK has provided over £71 million of humanitarian assistance; and has worked successfully to see the suspension of Zimbabwe from the Commonwealth and the imposition of EU sanctions.
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development and I spoke to the UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan about Zimbabwe on 6 July. We shall consider what further action is needed once the report of the Secretary General's Special Envoy, Anna Tibaijuka, is published.

Zimbabwe

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the African Union on the promotion of good governance in Zimbabwe.

Ian Pearson: My noble Friend the Minister for Africa (the Lord Triesman of Tottenham), and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development (Hilary Benn) attended the African Union Summit in Sirte on 4/5 July. They made our views clear to African leaders there. I am encouraged by the response of Presidents Mbeki and Obasanjo to engage Zimbabwe on the political and economic crisis in that country. I also welcome the initiative of chairman of the African Union to send an Envoy, even though the Government of Zimbabwe has so far blocked his mission. African leaders have a crucial role to play in ending the Zimbabwe crisis, and we will continue to urge them to do so in support of their responsibilities toward fellow Africans.

UK Visas

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to streamline procedures for individuals from Commonwealth countries applying for visas to the UK.

Ian Pearson: We are delivering both good services to customers and tight immigration control. We are making the visa application process faster, including through convenient regional application centres, only interviewing where necessary, improved staff training and more resources. We have introduced risk assessment units in high risk posts and plan more. All overseas visa applicants are subject to certain security checks.

Uganda

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the security situation in northern Uganda.

Ian Pearson: The security situation has deteriorated since the expiry of the cease-fire in February and the onset of the rainy season. The Lord's Resistance Army continue to attack and loot for food and supplies.
	We support those working to end this conflict. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development and the noble Lord Triesman of Tottenham discussed this with President Museveni on 4 July.

Iran

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the UK's relations with Iran, with particular reference to Iran's continued possession of Royal Naval vessels.

Jack Straw: We have serious concerns about Iranian policies in a number of areas. These include Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programmes and its approach to human rights, Iraq, terrorism and the middle east peace process. We aim to encourage progress through a policy of critical and conditional engagement.
	We continue to press for the return of the Royal Navy boats held by the Iranian authorities since June 2004.

Darfur

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on UK support for the African Union mission in Darfur.

Ian Pearson: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development announced on 13 June 2005 an increase in the UK contribution to the AU to £19 million. This brings our total contribution to the African Union mission in Sudan since its inception to almost £32 million. The UK fully supports the work of the African Union in Darfur, where it is having a significant effect.

Darfur

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the political situation in Darfur.

Ian Pearson: I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Guildford earlier today (UIN 12881).

India

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the appropriateness of travel advisory notices for UK travellers to India.

Ian Pearson: Foreign and Commonwealth Office travel advice, including for India, is designed to help British travellers to make informed decisions about travelling abroad and to avoid trouble, by providing relevant information. Travel advice for India is kept under constant review, and is amended when considered necessary.

British Mercenaries

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will introduce legislation to control the operations of British mercenaries abroad; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: holding answer 18 July 2005
	The issue of regulation of the overseas activities of UK private military and security companies was considered in the Government's Green Paper 'Private Military Companies', published on 12 February 2002. Last autumn I instituted a further detailed review of options for regulation, including legislation. The review is now complete and is being considered by Ministers. The Government will keep Parliament fully informed of its decisions in this area.

Bulgaria

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 11 July 2005, Official Report, column 663W, on Bulgaria (EU accession), what elements Bulgaria needs to implement in relation to justice.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 18 July 2005
	The European Commission wrote to the Bulgarian Government at the start of June 2005. It noted that Bulgaria still needs to implement reforms in its judicial system:
	in particular to ensure the efficiency and transparency in the pre-trial phase as regards the Criminal Procedure Code and other related laws including the Judicial System Act, the Criminal Code and the Ministry of Interior Act".

China

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what initiatives the UK Government will be taking during the course of its presidency of the European Union (a) to promote negotiations between China and representatives of the Dalai Lama over the future of Tibet, and (b) to address concerns about human rights abuses in Tibet and China.

Ian Pearson: We will continue to monitor developments in Tibet closely and will continue to regularly raise Tibet issues with the Chinese Government. This year my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary, my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Lord Triesman of Tottenham) and I have all raised Tibetan issues with Chinese interlocutors. We have made clear to the Chinese authorities that a long-term, legitimate and peaceful solution to the Tibet issue can be found only through dialogue and we will continue to urge them to engage productively with the Dalai Lama and his representatives. The EU has, under the UK presidency, issued a statement on 6 July welcoming the fourth round of dialogue.

Embassies

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which embassies (a) have been closed over the past five years and (b) are planned to be closed over the next two years; and what the valueof ground sales of embassies over the last five years was.

Jack Straw: The British embassies in Bamako, Managua, San Salvador, Tegucigalpa and Asuncion have been closed in the last five years. It is intended to close the embassies in Antananarivo and Dili in the next two years.
	The embassy offices in Bamako, Managua and Tegucigalpa were leased. The gross proceeds from the sale of the El Salvador office were £940,000. The sale of the Asuncion Office is not due to be completed until autumn 2005.

Equatorial Guinea

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  if he will list the major UK commercial interests in Equatorial Guinea;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the levels sectors of UK investment in Equatorial Guinea; and in which sectors such investment has been made.

Ian Pearson: The UK has limited commercial interests in Equatorial Guinea. Most UK companies working there are sub-contractors operating in the oil and gas sector. UK Trade and Investment has not made any detailed assessment of the levels of UK investment.

Equatorial Guinea

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what (a) embassy and (b) consulate arrangements are in place to represent UK interests in Equatorial Guinea.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 18 July 2005
	The UK does not have representation in Equatorial Guinea. We are officially represented by the non-resident Ambassador based in Yaounde, Cameroon.
	We are in the process of recruiting a new Honorary Consul in Malabo. Consular duties are currently being covered by our High Commission in Yaounde.
	A United Kingdom Trade and Investment consultant, on a short term contract, represents British commercial interests in Equatorial Guinea.

Eritrea

James McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Eritrea regarding the cases of trade unionists Tewelde Ghebremedhin, Minase Andezion and Habtom Weldemicael.

Ian Pearson: Our ambassador in Asmara has discussed this case with EU partners. The previous local EU presidency in turn raised it with a senior official of theGovernment. We understand that Tewelde Ghebremedhin, Minase Andezion and Habtom Weldemicael may face criminal charges. However, we and our EU partners continue to monitor this case closely and will raise it again with the Government if necessary.

EU Committee of the Regions

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much the UK contributed (a) directly and (b) indirectly to the costs of the EU's Committee of the Regions in the last period for which figures are available.

Douglas Alexander: The UK makes its contributions to the EC Budget as a whole, and not to individual parts of it. This year's member state financing of the 2005 Adopted EC budget amounts to €105 billion, of which the UK share, after taking account of the abatement, will be 13.05 per cent. The EC's estimate for Committee of the Regions expenditure in 2005 is €60,277,251.

Guantanamo Bay

Chris Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date he responded to the letter from Clive Stafford Smith dated 28 June, regarding British residents in Guantanamo; and if he will place a copy of his response in the Library.

Ian Pearson: My hon. Friend the Minister of State (Dr. Howells) replied to Mr. Stafford Smith's letter of 28 June on 7 July. A copy of this response has been placed in the Library of the House.

Guantanamo Bay

Chris Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date he responded to the letter from Clive Stafford Smith dated 15 February, regarding Omar Deghayes; and if he will place a copy of his response in the Library.

Ian Pearson: My right hon. and noble Friend the former Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister of State (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean) replied to Mr. Stafford Smith's letter of 15 February on 28 February. A copy of the reply has been placed in the Library of the House.

High Commissions

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which high commissions (a) have been (i) closed and (ii) merged over the past five years and (b) are planned to be closed over the next two years; and what the value of ground sales of high commissions over the last five years was.

Jack Straw: The British High Commission in Nassau is the only High Commission to have been closed in the last five years. It is planned to close the High Commissions in Port Vila, Nuku'Alofa, Tarawa, Mbabane and Maseru in the next two years.
	The High Commission in Nassau was leased.

Management Consultants

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the total expenditure saved in each of the last three years as a result of implementing recommendations by management consultancies within his Department.

Jack Straw: No central record is kept of the benefits that have arisen from implementing the recommendations of management consultancies. The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Nigeria

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in reducing external support for militants in Nigeria.

Ian Pearson: We are concerned at the level of criminal activity and instability in the oil-rich Niger Delta region, in particular the supply of small arms to the area, and the ethno-religious instability in the Middle Belt. My hon. Friend the then Parliamentary Under-secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. Mullin), raised the issue of the high levels of criminality in the Niger Delta with the Rivers State Governor during his visit in February 2005. We are also looking at ways we can assist the Nigerian Government on small arms control.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Antisocial Behaviour

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the role of sport and recreational activities in tackling antisocial behaviour; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: Research commissioned by the Home Office and undertaken by MORI of the national Positive Futures programme, which aims to tackle antisocial behaviour through sport, found that 72 per cent. of respondents surveyed in 2004 felt that the programme had made a positive difference to the local community in crime, drug use and antisocial behaviour. The figure increased to 76 per cent. in 2005.
	Furthermore, since 2004, approximately 136,500 young people most at risk of social exclusion or antisocial behaviour have taken part in the Positive Activities for Young People (PAYP) programme which also uses sport as a diversionary activity.

Big Lottery Fund

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on plans to establish the Big Lottery Fund.

Richard Caborn: Plans to establish the Big Lottery Fund were agreed within Government. However, neither my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State nor I have had any specific discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on this matter.

Big Lottery Fund

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her Department's projections are for the balances held by the Big Lottery Fund.

Richard Caborn: The Department issues projections for income from the lottery as a whole. It does not produce estimates of individual distributors' income or balances. However, data recently submitted by the Big Lottery Fund suggests that its balance will fall from its June 30 level of £851 million to £678 million by the end of this financial year.

Buckmore Park Scout Centre

Jonathan R Shaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will direct Sport England to recover £2 million of lottery funding given to Buckmore Park Scout Centre now that it is in the ownership of the Rochester Bridge Trust.

Richard Caborn: holding answer 18 July 2005
	Sport England understands that the land on which Buckmore Park Scout Centre stands is no longer in the ownership of the Rochester Bridge Trust.
	Sport England is closely working with the liquidators appointed for Buckmore Park Centre and my Department's legal advisers to ascertain what, if any, monies are recoverable. To this end, Sport England is facilitating a meeting between the new freeholder and an interested leisure operator to discuss future options for the facility and the potential for the recovery of lottery funding and community use.

Commonwealth Games

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the role Chorley played in the Manchester Commonwealth games.

Richard Caborn: In addition to the Queen's Jubilee Baton Relay passing through Chorley in advance of the Manchester Commonwealth games, I am also aware that the sporting facilities in and the residents of Chorley made a significant contribution these games.
	Rivington Park successfully hosted the outdoor cycling events, including the mountain bike events, the road races and the road time trials. The role of volunteers in the staging of events of this size cannot be overlooked and I am aware of the numbers of volunteers from Chorley who gave up their time to help in the staging of this event. These were key contributors to the successful staging of this significant sporting event.

Community Coaches

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many community coaches she intends to fund in Oxfordshire.

Richard Caborn: holding answer 18 July 2005
	Four community sports coaches are currently in place in Oxfordshire and funding has been agreed and allocated for a further 21 coaches. These coaches will be recruited by the end of the summer.

Community Lottery Fund

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she has taken to ensure that charitable funding is not disrupted following the closure of the Community Lottery Fund and related programmes.

Richard Caborn: This is a matter for the Big Lottery Fund. They are conscious of the need to avoid disruption and are committed to introducing new demand led funding programmes at the earliest opportunity. The fund are also ensuring that 60–70 per cent. of their funding goes to voluntary and community sector organisations.

Community Radio

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what process Ofcom follows for considering bids for community radio licences;
	(2)  what applications Ofcom has received for community radio licences in the Guildford area; what the process is for the consideration of those applications; and if she will make a statement.

James Purnell: The matter raised is the responsibility of the Office of Communications (Ofcom) as independent regulator. Accordingly, my officials have asked the chief executive of Ofcom to respond directly to the hon. Member. Copies of the chief executive's letter will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Gambling Act

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she is taking to protect young people from addictive gambling; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: The Gambling Act 2005 includes important new safeguards to protect children and vulnerable adults, and we will bring it into force as soon as the necessary preparatory and transitional measures have been taken.

Gambling Act

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the timetable is for (a) the implementation of the Gambling Act 2005, (b) the passage of secondary legislation under the Act and (c) the publication of guidance for local authorities.

Richard Caborn: We plan to commence the provisions of the Act establishing the Gambling Commission with effect from October, and to make the subordinate legislation required to implement the Act over the following 20 months in order to complete the process of implementation in September 2007.
	It will be the responsibility of the Gambling Commission to issue guidance to licensing authorities; and current plans envisage that it will do so from May 2006, having previously consulted on the terms of that guidance.

Licensing Act

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when the needs test that magistrates considered for new licensed premises was abolished; and if she will make a statement.

James Purnell: The new regime introduced by the Licensing Act 2003 makes no provision for licensing authorities to take need, or the means of applicants, into account in their decisions. The new regime is designed to advance the licensing objectives of ensuring public safety, preventing crime and disorder, preventing public nuisance, and protecting children from harm. To those ends, the 2003 Act allows licensing authorities to take full account of the possible effects of the concentration of licensed premises on levels of crime and disorder. This is a separate matter to need or means, the consideration of which is allowed under the current licensing regime.
	Under the provisions of the Licensing Act 1964, licensing justices can consider need or means, along with other matters at their discretion, in dealing with licence applications. The consideration of means in such decisions was reviewed by the Departmental Committee on Liquor Licensing, under the chairmanship of Lord Erroll of Hale. The Committee concluded in December 1972 that, in the special context of liquor licensing law, the application of the test of need to new applications for justices' on-licences was out of date and unnecessary.
	That conclusion informed subsequent guidance, including the last Good Practice Guide to licensing committees published under the old licensing regime. This was produced by the Justices' Clerks' Society in consultation with the Magistrates' Association, and stated that
	when considering the question of need/demand, committees do not attach much, if any, weight to the threat from competition and should not consider trade protection as a matter which is relevant when exercising their discretion."
	However, different licensing committees continue to be inconsistent in their applications of tests of need. In this and other areas, the 2003 Act will bring greater consistency to licensing decisions.

Licensing Act

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate her Department has made of the number of premises in Wales licensed under (a) the Licensing Act 1964 and (b) the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 which fall into each of the rateable value bands for licence fees under the Licensing Act 2003 (Fees) Regulations; how many in each category will be required to pay the fee multiplier; and if she will make a statement.

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate her Department has made of the number of premises in Cardiff Central licensed under (a) the Licensing Act 1964 and (b) the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 which fall into each of the rateable value bands for licence fees under the Licensing Act (Fees) Regulations; how many in each category will be required to pay the fee multiplier; and if she will make a statement.

James Purnell: As at 30 June 2004 there were, under the Licensing Act 1964, 10,909 on-and off-licensed premises, and 1,442 registered clubs in Wales. On this date there were 1,117 on- and off-licensed premises, and 68 registered clubs in the Cardiff petty session division.
	DCMS deposited the source publication for these figures Statistical Bulletin Liquor Licensing (England and Wales, July 2003-June 2004)" on 27 October 2004 in the House Libraries. This document is available on the DCMS website at: http://www.culture.gov.uk/global/research/statistics_outputs/liquor_licensing_statistics.htm
	Figures for the numbers of premises licensed under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 are not collected centrally. However, surveys suggest that approximately 46,000 public entertainment licences are issued in England and Wales annually. Such licences would include those issued under the London Government Act 1963 as well as those under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982.
	No estimates have been made centrally about the numbers of licensed premises in Wales or in Cardiff Central that fall into each of the fee bands, or how many in these areas will be required to pay the fee multipliers. It is likely that individual licensing authorities have estimates for these figures. However, the Regulatory Impact Assessment in respect of the fees regulations estimated the spectrum of premises lying in each band as a percentage of the total, as follows:
	
		
			  Rateable value bands Non-domestic rateable value Percentage of premises in band 
		
		
			 A £0-£4,300 19 
			 B £4,301-£33,000 60 
			 C £33,001-£87,000 13 
			 D £87,001-£125,000 3 
			 E £125,001 and over 5 
		
	
	It also estimated that approximately 2,000–4,000 premises falling in Bands D and E across England and Wales would meet the definition of being primarily or exclusively engaged in the sale of alcohol for consumption on the premises, meaning that they would be required to pay the fee multipliers.

Management Consultancies

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which five management consultancies received the highest value of contracts awarded by her Department in each of the last three years; and what the total value was of the contracts awarded to each.

Richard Caborn: The total value of contacts awarded to the five relevant management consultancies in the last three years, is as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 2002–03  
			 Hay Group 136,195 
			 Stanton Harris 85,00 
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers 81,750 
			 Atkins Management Consultants 44,965 
			 Experian 42,400 
			 2003–04  
			 Spectrum Strategy Consultants 205,000 
			 ASK Europe Plc. 130,070 
			 Philip Graf 80,000 
			 Europe Economics 47,000 
			 BMRB 43,267 
			 2004–05  
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers 275,497 
			 PA Consulting 151,410 
			 Patrick Barwise 96,000 
			 PKF 85,568 
			 Shared Intelligence 61,300

National Lottery

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the Government's policy on allowing rival lottery operators to compete for sales with the national lottery.

Richard Caborn: It remains the Government's policy that, in the interests of maximising income for good causes, the national lottery should be protected from competition from other lotteries through limits on their sales and prizes. Those limits are subject to periodic review.

National Lottery

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the highest individual payment awarded from the lottery in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK has been in each year since 1997; and which project or organisations was awarded the payment in each case.

Richard Caborn: The table shows the highest award made in each of the areas specified.
	The table is derived from the Department's lottery award database, searchable at www.lottery.culture.gsi.gov.uk, which uses information supplied by the Lottery distributors.
	
		
			  Distributing body Amount (£) 
		
		
			 Jarrow   
			 1997 Heritage Lottery Fund 3,000,000 
			 1998 Heritage Lottery Fund 115,300 
			 1999 Community Fund 5,000 
			 2000 Community Fund 88,413 
			 2001 Sport England 287,328 
			 2002 Community Fund 179,026 
			 2003 Community Fund 148,731 
			 2004 New Opportunities Fund 804,477 
			 2005 Awards For All (England) Joint Scheme 5,000 
			
			
			 South Tyneside   
			 1997 Heritage Lottery Fund 3,000,000 
			 1998 Heritage Lottery Fund 241,800 
			 1999 New Opportunities Fund 3,031,000 
			 2000 Community Fund 325,500 
			 2001 Heritage Lottery Fund 866,500 
			 2002 New Opportunities Fund 997,901 
			 2003 Community Fund 191,442 
			 2004 New Opportunities Fund 2,409,500 
			 2005 Home Front Recall 7,868 
			
			 North East   
			 1997 Arts Council England 6,947,000 
			 1998 Heritage Lottery Fund 6,949,000 
			 1999 North East 47,308,500 
			 2000 Heritage Lottery Fund 5,047,000 
			 2001 Heritage Lottery Fund 4,140,000 
			 2002 Heritage Lottery Fund 10,258,750 
			 2003 Heritage Lottery Fund 10,000,000 
			 2004 Millennium Commission 2,750,000 
			 2005 Community Fund 300,000 
			
			 UK   
			 1997 Millennium Commission 604,000,000 
			 1998 Heritage Lottery Fund 30,939,800 
			 1999 Sport England 120,000,000 
			 2000 Sport England 92,000,000 
			 2001 Heritage Lottery Fund 20,500,000 
			 2002 Millennium Commission 100,000,000 
			 2003 New Opportunities Fund 38,650,000 
			 2004 Sport England 21,320,000 
			 2005 Heritage Lottery Fund 20,000,000

National Lottery

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her Department's definition is of the principle of additionality in relation to the use of lottery good cause funding.

Richard Caborn: It is set out in our July 2003 policy statement:
	Lottery funding will not be allowed to become a substitute for funding that would normally fall to mainstream Government spending."
	As the statement made clear, the same basic principle has been expressed in slightly different ways in the past by successive Governments.

Olympics 2012

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture,Media and Sport 
	(1)  who will operate the new Olympic scratchcard game; and when contracts will be awarded;
	(2)  whether the new Olympics scratchcard game will be operated on a not-for-profit basis.

Richard Caborn: The scratchcard will be operated as part of the national lottery by Camelot, whose licence to run the lottery was awarded in 2002. In accordance with that licence Camelot is entitled to a profit for effective performance.

Olympics 2012

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when the new Olympic scratchcard game is expected to be on sale.

Richard Caborn: The scratchcard will be available shortly, subject to regulatory approval by the National Lottery Commission.

Olympics 2012

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of thelikely effect on household spending on gambling ofthe introduction of the new Olympics scratchcard game.

Richard Caborn: We do not think that the scratchcard will have any significant impact on overall household spending.

Olympics 2012

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when the Government plan to publish costings and funding arrangements between her Department, the Treasury and the London Mayor for the Olympic Games; and in what form she expects them to be published.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 18 July 2005
	The funding arrangements for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012 agreed between the Government and the Mayor of London are set out in the Memorandum of Understanding attached to Command Paper 5867, dated June 2003. Costings for the Games were contained in the Candidature File submitted to the International Olympic Commission in November 2004, copies of which were placed in the Library of the House.

Olympics 2012

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what role is planned for Shropshire in the London Olympics 2012.

Tessa Jowell: I am determined that the whole of the United Kingdom benefits from the Olympic games in 2012.
	As we set out to the International Olympic Committee, we expect the 2012 Olympic games and paralympic games to be an inspiration to our children and young people, to get involved in sporting activity and engage with the UK wide cultural festival and education programme.
	The games will also deliver significant economic benefits. The games will attract investment, offer UK companies the opportunity to compete for billions of pounds worth of contracts, offer each nation and region the opportunity to bid for preparation camps and provide a welcome boost to the UK tourism industry.
	I am aware that Lilleshall, as part of the English Institute of Sport, is already providing world class facilities and services to a number of elite athletes and aspiring athletes, particularly the sport of gymnastics, to enable them to compete and deliver success at the highest level.
	I also had the pleasure of visiting Much Wenlock, the inspiration for the modern Olympic movement, recently. I am aware of their proud involvement with the Olympic games and I am sure they will want to be involved as our plans for 2012 are developed.

Olympics 2012

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what mechanisms are being put in place to ensure that there are no cost overruns in the London Olympics.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 13 July 2005
	London's bid underwent rigorous assessment by the International Olympic Committee, Treasury and the Office of Government Commerce. The Government remains committed to ensuring the 2012 games are delivered on time and on budget.
	The London Olympics Bill, now before the House, proposes an Olympic delivery authority (ODA) to co-ordinate all aspects of Olympic infrastructure and transport planning. The ODA will work closely with the London Organising Committee to ensure delivery of the project to time and to budget, and their progress will be overseen by the Olympic stakeholders: myself, the Major and the chair of the British Olympic Association.

Olympics 2012

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will consider Chorley for a cycle training camp for the 2012 Olympics.

Richard Caborn: I am aware that Rivington park played a key role in the delivery of the 2002 Commonwealth games, hosting the outdoor cycling events, including the mountain bike events, the road races and the road time trials.
	Decisions on the location of training camps will be taken by National Olympic Committees choosing to hold them. As far as I am aware, no decisions have yet been taken about the location of training camps for the 2012 Olympics.

Radio Broadcasting

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture,Media and Sport whether Ofcom briefs her Department on (a) new and (b) existing commercial radio stations.

James Purnell: Ofcom are an independent regulator with responsibility for the planning, licensing and regulation of commercial radio. They have no specific duty to brief the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on new or existing commercial radio services, but keep my Department informed of developments through regular contacts.

Radio Broadcasting

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she last met Ofcom to discuss radio broadcasting.

James Purnell: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport met the chief executive and senior officials of the Office of Communications (Ofcom) on 6 April. They discussed various broadcasting issues, including radio.

Radio Broadcasting

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on (a) the regulation and licensing of commercial radio and (b) the prospects for growth in the sector.

James Purnell: The regulation and licensing of commercial radio are a matter for Ofcom, acting within the framework we established in the Communications Act 2003.
	As Ofcom indicated in their report, Radio—Preparing for the future—Phase 1" they foresee opportunities for future growth especially through the increasing take-up of digital radio.

Radio Broadcasting

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many radio licences are expected to be granted in 2005; and whether a licence is expected to be granted for Chorley.

James Purnell: The matter raised is the responsibility of the Office of Communications (Ofcom) as independent regulator. Accordingly, my officials have asked the chief executive of Ofcom to respond directly to my hon. Friend. Copies of the chief executive's letter will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Radio Broadcasting

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many current commercial radio licences there are.

James Purnell: There are currently three national and 272 local commercial analogue radio licences. In addition, one national digital multiplex, carrying eight services, and 46 local multiplexes, carrying 196 services, have been licensed.

Regional Casinos

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans the Government have to increase the number of regional casino licences from the present cap of one; and if she will make a statement

Richard Caborn: The Gambling Act 2005 provides that no more than one casino premises licence may have effect at any time in respect of regional casinos, and we are proceeding with plans for the implementation of the Act on that basis.

Rugby

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when (a) she and (b) Ministers in her Department last attended a (i) rugby union and (ii) rugby league match in an official capacity.

Richard Caborn: In my capacity as Minister for Sport, I last attended a rugby union match on 27 November 2004 (England v Australia). However, I intend to attend the Powergen challenge cup final on 27 August 2005, and the rugby super league grand final on 15 October 2005.
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State last attended a rugby union match on 6 March 2004.

Rugby

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what (a) assistance and (b) funding her Department provided to rugby league in 2004–05.

Richard Caborn: One of Sport England's 10 priority sports, the success of rugby league in achieving modernisation and participation targets was a major factor behind the decision (announced February 2005) to allocate the sport £11.5 million in funding spread over the next four years.
	Although funding has been essential for achieving the sport's aims, Sport England has also worked with the Rugby Football League (RFL) the national governing body, in a consultative capacity, helping to develop business plans and to streamline and modernise its internal structure. The latest phase of cooperation between the RFL and Sport England has seen an increased focus on the autonomy of the governing body in defining and delivering its own objectives whilst maintaining the high level of support and advice offered by Sport England.
	For the financial year 2004–05, rugby league received a total of approximately £3,323,000 in funding through Sport England. Of this, £465,000 was provided by the Exchequer and approximately £2,858,000 was lottery funding. A full breakdown is provided in the following table. It should be noted that with the exception of those programmes marked 1 , funding was administered via the RFL.
	
		
			 Programme Amount received (£) Source of funding 
		
		
			 Development Funding 320,000 Exchequer 
			 DCMS Volunteer Programme—Step Into Sport 50,000 Exchequer 
			 PESSCL Club Links 40,000 Exchequer 
			 UK Coaching Certificate 55,000 Exchequer 
			 World Class Programme 1,500,000 Lottery 
			 Interim Funding for Whole Sport Plan 410,000 Lottery 
			 County Sports Partnerships funding(3) 293,000 Lottery 
			 Community grants funding(3) 655,000 (approx) Lottery 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Total exchequer funding—£465,000.
	2. Total lottery funding—£2,858,000 (approx).
	3. Overall total funding—£3,323,000 (approx).

Swimming Pools

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many (a) privately operated and (b) publicly operated swimming pools have been closed or taken out of use in each London borough in each year since 1997.

Richard Caborn: Eight swimming pools have closed or been taken out of use in the following London boroughs since 1997:
	
		
			 London Borough Swimming pool 
		
		
			 Brent Willesden Pool 
			 Camden Swiss Cottage Baths(3) 
			 Hackney Haggerston Baths 
			  Clissold Leisure Centre 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham Janet Adegoke Pool(4) 
			 Harrow Wealdstone Open Air Baths 
			 Hillingdon Uxbridge Lido 
			 Westminster Marshall Street Baths 
		
	
	(3) Currently being refurbished and due to re-open by December 2005.
	(4) Currently being refurbished and due to re-open by December 2005.
	We do not hold details of the public or private ownership status of these swimming pools.

Swimming Pools

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 13 June 2005, Official Report, column 66W, on swimming pools (parental supervision), when she expects to announce the series of measures agreed at the meeting on 5 April about parental supervision of children in swimming pools;
	(2)  pursuant to the answer to question ref. 5530, when she expects to announce the measures agreed at the meeting on 5 April about parental supervision of children in swimming pools.

Richard Caborn: My Department expects to announce this week the package of measures which has been agreed in responding to the issue of parental supervision of children in swimming pools.

Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she is taking to promulgate the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme in Oxfordshire.

Richard Caborn: holding answer 18 July 2005
	The Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS) is run by SportEngland and delivered through educational institutions. Sporting services are provided to TASS athletes in the Oxfordshire region by Oxford and Oxford Brookes Universities.
	Information regarding the programme is provided to educational institutions and current and potential TASS athletes through the TASS Operations Team, National Governing Bodies of Sport, SportsAid and University College Sport.

Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme places have been awarded to 12 to 18-year-olds living in Oxfordshire.

Richard Caborn: holding answer 18 July 2005
	The Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS) provides sporting services to help young athletes fulfil their sporting potential. Awards are in the form of bursaries to 16 to 19-year-olds, scholarships to 18 to 25-years-old and 2012 scholarships aimed at 12 to 18-year-olds.
	There are 27 athletes on the TASS programme that are from Oxfordshire or receiving sporting services in Oxfordshire. Five of these athletes are aged 12 to 18 of which four will be receiving a 2012 scholarship.

NORTHERN IRELAND

After-school Clubs

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to increase the provision of after school clubs in Northern Ireland; and how much funding has been directed towards these in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Angela Smith: There are no mainstream funds available to support an out of schools programme in Northern Ireland. However, the Department of Education is pursuing a number of developments along similar lines, such as Full Service (Extended) Schools, Education Action Zones and provision within the North and West Belfast area that will be supported through the Integrated Development Fund. All of these envisage schools as the learning hubs of their communities, supporting and encouraging provision throughout the extended school day.
	I understand from the Big Lottery Fund that, since its launch in 1999, the New Opportunities out of school hours learning programme has committed over £8.3 million across Northern Ireland for study support activities held outside school hours. This was an open programme and there was no annual allocation.
	Peace II payments to Playboard Projects under Priority 1 Measure 5 in each of the last five years are as follows:
	
		
			 Financial year Amount paid (£) 
		
		
			 2001–02 118,222 
			 2002–03 675,512.23 
			 2003–04 753,438.64 
			 2004–05 1,115,236.15 
			 2005–06 (to 7 July 2005) 170,696.55 
			 Total 2,833,105.57

Alley Gating Schemes

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what funding has been allocated to alley gating schemes in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years.

David Hanson: During 2004–05 the Government spent 50 per cent. of a £40,000 budget allocated to salary and administration costs associated with the implementation of a pilot alley gating project in Belfast. Prior to 2004–05 financial year a number of alley gates were installed as part of larger schemes and these costs are not available at this time.
	The Northern Ireland Office's Community Safety Unit is currently working with Belfast Community Safety Partnership and a range of partners, including a community organisation to implement a pilot alleygating project in five localities within Belfast. The Unit has allocated capital funding of £200,000 over the next two years to fund two out of a planned five locations as part of a pilot scheme. Belfast Community Safety Partnership has submitted a bid for the remaining three areas, which form the pilot project, and this is currently being considered by the Department for Social Development under the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme. A decision is awaited.

Assets Recovery Agency

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people from Northern Ireland have been investigated by the Asset Recovery Agency.

Shaun Woodward: To date the Assets Recovery Agency in Northern Ireland has actively investigated 37 people, and 14 are under assessment for investigation.

Costello Report

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make it his policy to ensure that the implementation of the proposed entitlement curriculum will not require post-primary pupils to travel between different school sites.

Angela Smith: Each school will determine how best to provide their pupils with access to the full range of courses which will be required by the entitlement framework. The aim will be to keep pupil movement to a minimum by using a range of delivery mechanisms including teachers rather than pupils moving, distance learning and block timetabling.

Crime (Elderly People)

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many crimes against the elderly there were in (a) urban and (b) rural areas in each of the last five years.

Shaun Woodward: The Police Service of Northern Ireland only record details of a victim's age in the three offences detailed in the following tables.
	
		Crimes recorded by the age of the victim
		
			  2000–01 
			  Under 65 65+ Age unknown Total 
		
		
			 Northern Ireland 
			 Offences against the person 16,238 186 4,956 21,380 
			 Personal robbery 500 60 103 663 
			 Domestic burglary 4,708 1,278 2,389 8,375 
			  
			 Urban Region 
			 Offences against the person 7,871 97 3,095 11,063 
			 Personal robbery 363 25 79 467 
			 Domestic burglary 2,668 618 1,489 4,775 
			  
			 Rural Region 
			 Offences against the person 8,367 89 1,861 10,317 
			 Personal robbery 137 35 24 196 
			 Domestic burglary 2,040 660 900 3,600 
		
	
	
		2001–02
		
			  Under 65 65+ Age unknown Total 
		
		
			 Northern Ireland(5) 
			 Offences against the person 23,568 194 2,342 26,104 
			 Personal robbery 699 101 18 818 
			 Domestic burglary 6,309 1,727 1,028 9,064 
			   
			 Urban Region 
			 Offences against the person 12,170 111 1,523 13,804 
			 Personal robbery 520 50 12 582 
			 Domestic burglary 3,462 897 574 4,933 
			  
			 Rural Region 
			 Offences against the person 11,397 83 818 12,298 
			 Personal robbery 179 51 6 236 
			 Domestic burglary 2,847 830 454 4,131 
		
	
	(5) Northern Ireland total includes two offences for which the locations are unknown and thus aren't assigned to a region
	
		2002–03
		
			  Under 65 65+ Age unknown Total 
		
		
			 Northern Ireland 
			 Offences against the person 26,889 269 1,297 28,455 
			 Personal robbery 793 139 9 941 
			 Domestic burglary 7,315 1,962 848 10,125 
			  
			 Urban Region 
			 Offences against the person 13,683 151 817 14,651 
			 Personal robbery 595 85 6 686 
			 Domestic burglary 4,072 1,004 408 5,484 
			  
			 Rural Region 
			 Offences against the person 13,206 118 480 13,804 
			 Personal robbery 198 54 3 255 
			 Domestic burglary 3,243 958 440 4,641 
		
	
	
		2003–04
		
			  Under 65 65+ Age unknown Total 
		
		
			 Northern Ireland 
			 Offences against the person 28,449 326 207 28,982 
			 Personal robbery 111 109 1 887 
			 Domestic burglary 7,098 1,573 273 8,944 
			  
			 Urban Region 
			 Offences against the person 14,499 162 158 14,819 
			 Personal robbery 551 61 1 613 
			 Domestic burglary 3,965 801 152 4,918 
			  
			 Rural Region 
			 Offences against the person 13,950 164 49 14,163 
			 Personal robbery 226 48 0 274 
			 Domestic burglary 3,133 772 121 4,026 
		
	
	
		2004–05
		
			  Under 65 65+ Age unknown Total 
		
		
			 Northern Ireland 
			 Offences against the person 28,899 336 104 29,339 
			 Personal robbery 641 68 0 709 
			 Domestic burglary 6,021 1,109 172 7,302 
			  
			 Urban Region 
			 Offences against the person 14,166 166 74 14,406 
			 Personal robbery 442 43 0 485 
			 Domestic burglary 3,567 620 104 4,291 
			  
			 Rural Region 
			 Offences against the person 14,733 170 30 14,933 
			 Personal robbery 199 25 0 224 
			 Domestic burglary 2,454 489 68 3,011

Dementia

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what financial assistance is provided for the care of dementia sufferers in the Province.

David Hanson: People who care for dementia sufferers may be entitled to receive carers allowance. In the 2004–05 financial year the Social Security Agency paid £84.5 million in carer's allowance. Information is not available on the number of people receiving this benefit who care for dementia suffers.

Departmental Staff

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many full-time equivalents have worked for the Department for each of the last five financial years for which figures are available.

Angela Smith: The number of full-time equivalent permanent staff, excluding casuals, working in the 11 Departments of the NI Administration, their agencies and the Northern Ireland Office at 1 April for each of the past five years was as follows:
	
		
			  Number of full-time equivalents 
		
		
			 2001 24,861 
			 2002 25,841 
			 2003 26,816 
			 2004 27,764 
			 2005 28,126

Entrepreneurship

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on which other departments' funding policies Invest Northern Ireland's policy on promoting entrepreneurship and business start-ups is based; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: Invest Northern Ireland's funding policy for the promotion of Entrepreneurship and Business Start Up is fully consistent with the government's economic vision for Northern Ireland. The promotion and encouragement of enterprise through being entrepreneurial is one of the key drivers identified in the Operating plans of Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI) and Invest NI to improve the global competitiveness of the Northern Ireland economy. DETI takes the lead responsibility for the oversight of the economic vision and a number of other departments fund actions which complement and contribute to enterprise development including Department of Employment and Learning through New Deal, and courses in Further and Higher Education; the Department of Education by promoting entrepreneurship through the school's curriculum; the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development promoting rural diversification and the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure the creative arts sector.

Firearms

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many illegal firearms have been found by the Police Service of Northern Ireland during searches, criminal investigations or at crime scenes in each of the last five years.

Shaun Woodward: The information requested is detailed in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of illegal firearms found 
		
		
			 2000–01 134 
			 2001–02 96 
			 2002–03 129 
			 2003–04 148 
			 2004–05 81 
		
	
	Notes:
	The figures include all illegal firearms which have been seized/recovered:
	as a result of searches carried out by PSNI/Army;
	during/after a shooting incident, armed robbery, etc;
	by members of the public.

Human Rights Commission

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the (a) salary, (b) allowances and (c) other expenses payable to the chairperson of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission is; how many days per week the chairperson is expected to spend on Commission business; what secretarial and research facilities are made available to (i) the chairperson and (ii) the members of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission; and what allocation has been made for these costs.

David Hanson: The chief commissioner post is a full-time post. The salary is £60,000 per annum.
	The other details of the question are for the Commission to respond to. I have written to the chief executive asking that she respond to your query. A copy of her letter will be placed in the Library.

Motoring Offences

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many fixed penalty fines for (a) speeding, (b) parking infringements and (c) other offences were issued in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years, broken down by (i) urban and (ii) rural region; and how much revenue was generated in each year.

Shaun Woodward: The information requested is provided in the following tables.
	
		
			 Calendar year Endorsable FPN—speeding Endorsable FPN—other Non endorsable FPN—other Non endorsable—parking infringements Potential revenue generated (£) 
		
		
			 Urban  
			 2002 8,350 422 2612 35,832 1,679,640 
			 2003 13,805 836 7607 36,819 2,211,240 
			 2004 15,289 836 11,772 42,015 2,581,110 
		
	
	
		
			 Calendar year Endorsable FPN—speeding Endorsable FPN—other Non endorsable FPN—other Non endorsable—parking infringements Potential revenue generated (£) 
		
		
			 Rural  
			 2002 18,516 606 10,020 16,711 1,949,250 
			 2003 14,149 842 15,911 18,345 1,927,140 
			 2004 11,763 1,106 21,394 19,490 1,998,660

Olympics 2012

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he plans to take to ensure that (a) Northern Ireland is and (b) Northern Ireland citizens are involved in the Olympic Games in London in 2012.

David Hanson: The Government are delighted that London won the bid to host the 2012 Olympics. Northern Ireland has supported the bid from the outset, recognising the potential benefits in terms of sports infrastructure, improving health, inspiring our young people, providing opportunities for local businesses, boosting tourism and hosting preparation camps for participating nations.
	The promise is already given by London 2012 that all those children born on 20 December 2004 in the United Kingdom will be offered the chance to take part in official ceremonies and cultural events scheduled to take place in 2012.
	A regional steering group has been in place for 11 months to galvanise support for the bid and identify the opportunities for the region. It is developing a strategy to ensure the potential benefits are fully realised and that Northern Ireland and its citizens play a full part in the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Pensioners

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which Government agency will be responsible for making payment of the one-off tax freelump sum of £200 to pensioner households in Northern Ireland; what action pensioners will be required to take to receive such payments; and when they will receive it.

David Hanson: Most pensioners who are entitled to the £200 payment will receive it automatically with their winter fuel payment from the Social Security Agency, an Executive agency within the Department for Social Development. However some may need to claim their payment. Anyone who has not received a payment by the end of December 2005, and who thinks that they may be eligible, may need to make a claim. All claims must be received by 30 March 2006. Details of how to make a claim and who to contact for more information will be issued at a later date.

Personal Protection Weapons

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applications for personal protection weapons have been made in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years.

Shaun Woodward: The chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland has informed me that records of the number of applications made for personal protection weapons are only available from 2001.
	The number of applications made in each full year since then is as follows:
	
		
			  Number of applications 
		
		
			 2001 274 
			 2002 405 
			 2003 324 
			 2004 281

Public Prosecution Service

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the (a) procedure and (b) timescale is for establishing regional offices for the Public Prosecution Service; where they are expected to be located; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: The information is as follows:
	(a) The procedure for the opening of the PPS Regional Offices is a phased 'rollout' over a period beginning with the creation of the first PPS pilot in December 2003 and completion by December 2006. A programme was established to acquire suitable premises in the preferred locations. A public procurement exercise was undertaken to secure the required premises, which to date has now identified suitable sites in Lisburn, Omagh and Ballymena. Suitable sites in Londonderry and Newry were not identified and the PPS is currently working closely with the Valuation and Lands Agency to identify either existing or potential premises in each of these locations.
	(b) The PPS Project Board still intends to meet the December 2006 deadline for the completion of the PPS rollout. If premises in all the preferred locations are not available by that date, contingency plans are in place to accommodate the operations on those offices not yet ready for occupation in existing short term accommodation in Belfast. Currently the target dates for each site are as follows:
	Lisburn—January 2006
	Omagh and Ballymena—December 2006
	Newry and Londonderry—Yet to be confirmed.

Pupil Numbers

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many pupils are attending each (a) primary and (b) secondary school in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: As the information requested is extensive, I will arrange to have it placed in the Library.

Sign Language

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what resources have been made available to support sign language in Northern Ireland in each year since 2001.

David Hanson: The following resources have been made available to support sign language in Northern Ireland in each year since 2001.
	
		
			  Amount (£) 
		
		
			 2001–02 122,326.13 
			 2002–03 149,681.67 
			 2003–04 187,389.72 
			 2004–05 202,608.71 
			 2005–06 (Estimated) 150,822.00 
		
	
	The cost of further education provision on sign language and of grants provided to a range of organisations to support disabilities including hearing impairment is not included in the above table. It is not possible to isolate expenditure on sign language from the overall expenditure in these areas.
	Since 23 January 2004, several Departments have been working in partnership with representatives of the deaf community, to develop ideas for improving access to public services for sign language users. It is not possible to detail the exact sum provided for the cost of staff resources engaged in this exercise.

Water Rates

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the Government's plans for reform of water rates in Northern Ireland.

Shaun Woodward: I am currently conducting a detailed review of issues surrounding water reform and consulting with ministerial colleagues about related issues. Decisions about the detailed implementation of water reform and water charging will only be taken after careful consideration and a full statement will be made later in the year.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

BNFL (Westinghouse)

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has received from BNFL in respect of plans to sell off its Westinghouse assets in the United States.

Barry Gardiner: holding answer 13 July 2005
	The company announced on 1 July 2005 that in line with the 2003 Strategy Review of BNFL (which concluded that the businesses should be managed to deliver value and control risks to the UK taxpayer) they were starting a structured sales process for the Westinghouse business.
	As shareholder in BNFL, the DTI has been kept fully in touch with the development of this policy. Officials are also participating in the working group that is overseeing the sale process and have access to the key associated documents. This level of involvement will continue.

Civil Partnerships Act

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether a same sex couple will each be permitted to nominate one property as their principle residence for the purposes of avoiding capital gains tax under the proposed terms of the Civil Partnerships Act 2004.

Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply.
	A same sex couple who register a partnership under the Civil Partnership Act 2004 will be entitled to capital gains tax private residence relief on only one residence from the time of registration. If they each own a residence when the partnership is registered and they continue to use both residences, they will be able to nominate jointly which is to be treated as the main residence. They may each qualify for private residence relief on their individual properties up to the time of registration provided all the conditions for relief have been met.

Consumer Direct Helpline

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total cost to date of setting up and running the Consumer Direct helpline has been; how many members of the public have used this service in the last three months for which figures are available; and whether he intends to continue to fund this service.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 14 July 2005
	The total cost of setting up and running the Consumer Direct helpline to date is £18.5 million. The service is now available in eight regions: Scotland, Yorkshire and the Humber, Wales, south-west and south-east regions, east of England, London and the east midlands. Three remaining regions north-west, north-east and west midlands will be operational by March 2006. The helpline has received 194,142 calls from members of the public in the last three months. Contracts have been signed for the delivery of the service in each region until 2010.

Harris Tweed

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action he has taken in each of the last four years to promote the sale of Harris Tweed and Harris Tweed products in (a) Europe, (b) the US and (c) other international markets.

Alun Michael: holding answer 30 June 2005
	None. Export promotion of the Harris Tweed industry is a devolved activity.

Harris Tweed

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the (a) money and (b) hours of time expended in the promotion of Harris Tweed by his Department.

Alun Michael: holding answer 30 June 2005
	None. Promotion of the Harris Tweed industry is a devolved activity.

Identity Cards

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent assessment he has made of the implications of the introduction of identity cards for his Department.

Gerry Sutcliffe: We have been working with the Home Office to identify any areas where the identity cards scheme could provide benefits to the administration of the Department. On 28 June 2005, my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary placed in the Libraries of the House a paper containing the latest estimates of benefits of the identity cards scheme which shows that the benefits outweigh the costs once the scheme is fully operational.

Legislative Reviews

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what reviews of effectiveness of significant legislation affecting business and industry his Department has carried out; what changes to legislation were proposed as a result of each review; and if he will place copies of the reviews in the Library.

Alan Johnson: The major pieces of legislation reviewed by the Department of Trade and Industry since 2001 are:
	Consumer Credit Act 1974
	Renewables Obligation Order 2002 (reviewed three times for different aspects)
	Employment Relations Act 1999
	Directors Remuneration Report Regulations (assessed for compliance and the extent of changes to remuneration practices).
	Changes proposed as a result of these reviews include:
	Publication of White Paper Fair, Clear and Competitive—the Consumer Credit Market in the 21st century" following review of Consumer Credit Act 1974. Legislation to reform the licensing system and improve consumer redress is currently before the House;
	Amendment Orders for the Renewables Obligation Order 2002;
	Employment Relations Act 2004 incorporated recommendations from the review of the Employment Relations Act 1999;
	The review of the Directors' Remuneration Report Regulations 2002 was completed in January 2005. Patricia Hewitt made a written parliamentary statement on 23 January 2005.
	Copies of review documents are available in the Libraries of the House and on the DTI website for all of the above-mentioned reviews.

Pregnant Workers

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the number of women who have faced discrimination at work because they were pregnant; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Maternity and Paternity Rights in Britain 2002: Survey of Parents (DWP In-House Report 131) found that six per cent. of all women who worked as employees during pregnancy said they were treated with less respect by their employer or line manager. Three per cent. of women who had worked during their pregnancy said they experienced difficulties with their employer concerning the time they started maternity leave.
	The Maternity Rights and Benefits Survey of Mothers 2005, commissioned by DTI and DWP, also asked women about the treatment they had received at work during their pregnancy. The final report of that research will be published later this year.

Renewables Obligation Scheme

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of renewable energy generated and consumed in each of the last five years in (a) the UK and (b) Scotland and sourced from generating plant accredited for Renewables Obligation Certificates was generated by (i) plant built and commissioned since 31 December 1989 and (ii) hydro plant which has been recently refurbished but was first commissioned before 31 December 1989.

Malcolm Wicks: For the last five years for the UK as a whole the percentages of electricity sales by licensed suppliers in the UK from renewable sources eligible under the Renewables Obligation (RO) are shown in the following table. These percentages can be divided into two parts; firstly the percentage generated from re-furbished hydro plant and secondly the percentage generated from other eligible plant. On an RO basis the percentage measures for the UK are not meaningful at a sub national level because electricity generated in one part of the UK can be sold in a different part of the UK and the amount of electricity from renewable sources transferred from Scotland or Wales to England or from Scotland to Northern Ireland is not known.
	
		Percentage
		
			  Total generation on a renewables obligation basis Of which refurbished large scale hydro Balance = plant built and commissioned since 31 December 1989 
		
		
			 2000 1.34 — 1.34 
			 2001 1.52 0.02 1.50 
			 2002 1.80 0.04 1.76 
			 2003 2.21 0.19 2.02 
			 2004 3.08 0.44 2.64

Royal Lancashire Show

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the benefits arising from the funding allocated to the Royal Lancashire Show by the North West Development Agency.

Alun Michael: holding answer 18 July 2005
	The North West Development Agency made a financial contribution to the Royal Lancashire Show in 2003 through the Rural Development Programme of the Lancashire Rural Recovery Partnership. The programme provided a grant of £32,578 to part fund the marketing costs for the show.
	Additional visitor spend associated with the grant given was estimated at £167,000. The actual figures recorded on assessment in August 2003 by the Partnership show an additional spend of £112,673.

Tesco

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Tradeand Industry what recent representations he has received about the position of Tesco in the grocery trade, with particular reference to the effect on farmers (a) in the UK and (b) overseas.

Gerry Sutcliffe: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, my fellow Ministers and I have received representations from Members of the House, the supermarket chains, small businesses, trade associations and pressure groups.
	However, the prime responsibility for operating our competition regime rests with the independent competition authorities. In the specific case of supermarkets it is the Office of Fair Trading, which is currently responsible for keeping under the review the Code of Practice governing supermarket's relations with their suppliers and for dealing with any other competition issues in the sector.

Tesco

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on whether Tesco has a monopoly position in the grocery trade.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The prime responsibility for operating our competition regime rests with the independent competition authorities. In the specific case of supermarkets it is the Office of Fair Trading, which is currently responsible for keeping under the review the Code of Practice governing supermarket's relations with their suppliers and for dealing with any other competition issues in the sector.

Vision Boards

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the reasons are for creating vision boards in the north-west and if he will take steps to create a vision board for Chorley.

Alun Michael: I have asked the chief executive of the North West Regional Development Agency to write to the hon. Member: a copy of that letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House

Warning and Prohibition Orders

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many (a) warning orders and (b) prohibition orders have been issued by the Office of Fair Trading under the Estate Agents Act 1979 in (i)England and Wales, (ii) Enfield and (iii) Edmonton in each year since the introduction of the Act; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: This is a matter for Sir John Vickers, chairman of the Office of Fair Trading. He will write to the hon. Member.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan

Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what value-added crops are being offered to farmers in Afghanistan as an alternative to growing opium poppies.

Hilary Benn: Afghanistan has the potential to produce, process and market a range of higher value agricultural products such as vegetables, fruits, nuts, and livestock and dairy products. None can compete economically with the returns available on growing opium poppy, and market links are not currently sufficiently developed to offer viable alternatives to the 700,000 farmers growing poppy.
	The DFID-funded Research in Alternative Livelihoods Fund (RALF) is identifying new crops and agricultural technologies which can be marketed successfully and have the potential to be used by larger groups of current or potential poppy farmers. Crops being tested include oil seed crops (canola, pea nuts, soy beans, mung beans), medicinal crops/herbs (mint, saffron, cumin), and vegetables (onions, tomatoes, chillies, sweet peppers, mushrooms). Other donor projects are doing similar testing. Programmes to roll out successful pilots will be developed in 2006.
	In the Badakhshan province in north-eastern Afghanistan DFID is funding a programme through the Aga Khan Foundation to increase the number of farmers accessing high quality seeds, and other agricultural inputs such as training in growing alternative crops. So far 29,000 farmers have benefited from this assistance.

Afghanistan

Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps are being taken to assist share-crop farmers in Afghanistan to deal with accumulated debt.

Hilary Benn: The Government of Afghanistan has a national programme, the Microfinance Investment Support Facility for Afghanistan (MISFA), which provides credit in rural areas, including to sharecroppers. Following a workshop on opium debt and rural finance jointly organised by the Government, the World Bank and DFID in December 2004, it was agreed that the MISFA would fund new ways to restructure informal debts to help farmers and sharecroppers break the cycle of opium indebtedness.
	In March 2005, DFID committed a further £17 million to the MISFA (bringing our total contribution to £20 million), with £7 million specifically to increase the scale of the MISFA's work in the seven largest poppy producing provinces through a special funding window, which will pilot debt restructuring. Initial results from these pilots are expected by the end of the year. Writing off debts has been considered as an option, but considered socially unsustainable in rural areas.

Conditionality

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made on the production of new operational guidelines for his Department's staff following the publication of Partnerships for Poverty Reduction: Reducing Conditionality.

Hilary Benn: Operational guidelines have been prepared in draft. Over the next few weeks, we plan to consult with a number of external partners (including other donors, and non-government organisations) before finalising the guidelines.

Malaria/Tuberculosis

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the results were of his Department's study of the incidence of malaria and tuberculosis worldwide.

Gareth Thomas: DFID has made no formal study of incidence of malaria and tuberculosis worldwide.
	Globally there are between 350 and 500 million clinical episodes of malaria occurring each year, resulting in over one million deaths. 1 There were an estimated 8.8 million new cases of TB in 2003 (the year for which the most recent figures are available), with an estimated 1.7 million deaths. 2
	DFID launched a policy consultation on the challenge of TB and malaria control with external stakeholders in May. Discussions took place around DFID's current portfolio of activities, effectiveness and suggestions on where to place future efforts.
	1 World Malaria Report 2005: WHO/UNICEF
	2 Global Tuberculosis Control Report 2005: WHO

Microfinance Projects

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on microfinance projects supported by his Department in developing countries.

Gareth Thomas: Microfinance, or financial services for those on low or very low income, is a powerful tool to fight poverty and help reach the Millennium Development Goals. Approximately 50 million low income people have a loan from a microfinance institution, and at least 500 million have some form of bank account, but in some African countries still less than 10 per cent. of the population has access to a bank account.
	Financial exclusion, or lack of access to financial services, acts as a constraint on economic growth and poverty reduction. Without access to loans, small enterprises can be restricted from expanding in size or into new markets. Families need access to a savings account, or to money transfer services, in order to ensure they have money at times of need, or to pay for education and other expenditure.
	My Department is active in promoting access to financial services, including microfinance. DFID has funded financial sector and microfinance projects in 25 countries and is the major funder to the global Financial Sector Reform and Strengthening (FIRST) initiative. My Department was instrumental in setting up and supporting, the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP), which is now made up of 29 international donor agencies. This is a resource centre for microfinance institutions and a centre of best practice for donors, Governments, and financial institutions. DFID also funds international agencies that actively support microfinance and financial sector development, such as the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation and the Asian Development Bank.
	My Department has launched or designed eight country programmes to promote financial sector development, seven of which are in sub-Saharan Africa. In several cases these are co-funded with other donors. These programmes work to improve the policy, legal and institutional framework so that banks and other financial institutions are able to expand into microfinance, and in some cases provide direct support to financial institutions to do so. They also enable microfinance institutions to access training, management skills and technical assistance, and improve their governance and systems.
	My Department jointly organised two high level conferences for the UN Year of Microcredit 2005, with the French and German Governments, that were attended by over 700 Government and donor representatives, as well as the private sector. We have a joint work programme with the World Bank and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to promote financial inclusion through agreeing measures and targets for access to financial services by poor households.
	DFID's Financial Deepening Challenge Fund has supported innovation by the private sector to extend access to financial services. For example, this Challenge Fund provided a grant to a Kenyan financial institution that then also invested at least as much of its own money, resulting in access to financial services in remote rural parts of Kenya through satellite-linked land rovers. A telecommunications company was also assisted to develop mobile phone-based banking services for low income people in East Africa, which is a technology that offers potential for significantly improving access to financial services across Africa.

Poverty Reduction (Departmental Guidelines)

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made on the production of new operational guidelines for his Department's staff following the publication of Partnerships for Poverty Reduction: Rethinking Conditionality.

Hilary Benn: Operational guidelines have been prepared in draft. Over the next few weeks, we plan to consult with a number of external partners (including other donors, and non-government organisations) before finalising the guidelines.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

14 to 19 White Paper

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations she has received on the Government's 14 to 19 White Paper.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 14 July 2005
	I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Skills to the hon. Member for Croydon, Central (Mr. Pelling) on 14 July 2005, Official Report, columns 957–58.

Aimhigher Programme

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the local authorities in which (a) all schools, (b) some schools and (c) no schools receive funding from the Aimhigher programme.

Bill Rammell: This information is not held centrally.
	Most funds for schools are routed from the Department to LEAs. Each LEA decides how to distribute these funds to schools. Some schools may also have received funds directly from their Aimhigher Area Steering Groups.
	The Department has aggregate information on the amount of Aimhigher funds distributed to each LEA. In the 2004/05 academic year, the following LEAs received Aimhigher funding for schools.
	Luton
	Essex
	Hertfordshire
	Leicester City
	Islington
	Hackney
	Barnet
	Waltham Forest
	Lambeth
	Wandsworth
	Brent
	Harrow
	Durham
	Redcar and Cleveland
	Newcastle Upon Tyne
	Sunderland
	Manchester
	Salford
	Trafford
	Knowsley
	St. Helens
	Blackpool
	Portsmouth
	Buckinghamshire
	Bristol
	Solihull
	Stoke on Trent
	Kingston upon Hull
	Doncaster
	Bradford
	Cambridgeshire
	Southend
	Norfolk
	City of Nottingham
	Kensington and Chelsea
	Newham
	Enfield
	Bexley
	Lewisham
	Bromley
	Ealing
	Hillingdon
	Hartlepool
	Stockton on Tees
	North Tyneside
	Cheshire
	Oldham
	Stockport
	Wigan
	Liverpool
	Wirral
	Lancashire
	Kent
	Milton Keynes
	North Somerset
	Coventry
	Walsall
	North East Lincolnshire
	Rotherham
	Kirklees
	Peterborough
	Thurrock
	Derby
	Camden
	Barking and Dagenham
	Tower Hamlets
	Haringey
	Greenwich
	Southwark
	Croydon
	Hammersmith and Fulham
	Hounslow
	Middlesbrough
	Gateshead
	South Tyneside
	Cumbria
	Rochdale
	Tameside
	Halton
	Sefton
	Blackburn with Darwen
	Hampshire
	Medway
	Oxfordshire
	Birmingham
	Herefordshire
	Wolverhampton
	Barnsley
	Sheffield
	Leeds

Child Poverty

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the impact of growing up in poverty on a child's (a) social, (b) educational and (c) personal development; and if she will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: The Government assessment of the impact of child poverty is set out in the Child Poverty Review which was published alongside the 2004 Spending Review. The Child Poverty Review shows that poverty can affect children's lives through the effects of living in poor housing and eating less nutritious food, and the higher risks of accidents, ill health and problems with school work. Poverty can exclude children from the everyday activities of their peers and limit their opportunities to play safely. Poverty in childhood can prevent children from fulfilling their potential by leading to poorer educational attainment and higher chances of poverty and social exclusion in adult life.
	Child poverty more than doubled between the mid 1970s and the mid 1990s in the UK and we had the highest rate in Europe. The Government are committed to halving child poverty by 2010 and eradicating it by 2020. We have already seen some success. By 2003–04 there were over half a million fewer children in relative low income households compared to 1998–99. The Department is working with partners within and beyond Government to meet the Government's target of eradicating child poverty.

Dance and Drama

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the budget for the Dance and Drama Awards scholarships funded by the Learning and Skills Council is in 2005–06.

Bill Rammell: The Dance and Drama Awards scholarship budget for 2005–06 is £10,330,000. The Dance and Drama Award provides a non-means tested contribution towards fees which is paid directly to the school by the Learning Skills Council (LSC).
	Students in receipt of a Dance and Drama award can also apply for means tested 'fees and maintenance' support, where the amount of support that a student receives is dependent on their household income. Students from England, Scotland and Wales apply to Manchester LEA (who operate the means tested element of the programme on behalf of the LSC, the Scottish Executive and the National Assembly for Wales).
	In April 2005, responsibility for the management of the Dance and Drama Award programme passed from the DfES to the LSC.

Dance and Drama

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the budget is in 2005–06 for the Dance and Drama Fees and Maintenance Fund.

Bill Rammell: The budget for the Dance and Drama Fees and Maintenance Fund for students from England in 2005–06 is £3,070,000. The National Assembly for Wales holds the budget and is responsible for the student support costs for Welsh students and the Scottish Executive holds the budget and is responsible for the student support costs of Scottish students. Students from England, Scotland and Wales apply to Manchester LEA (who operate the means tested element of the programme on behalf of the Learning Skills Council (LSC), the Scottish Executive and the National Assembly for Wales).
	In April 2005, responsibility for the management of the Dance and Drama Award programme passed from the DfES to the LSC.

Dyslexic Students

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent discussions she has had with examination boards about the criteria used to decide whether dyslexic students are allowed extra time during examinations.

Maria Eagle: The Secretary of State has had no recent discussions with awarding bodies about access arrangements or adjustments in examinations.
	Any decision on the criteria to be used in determining extra time for examinations is a matter for the awarding bodies.
	The Regulators (QCA, ACCAC and CEA) produce a code of practice requiring awarding bodies to ensure that there are no unnecessary barriers to assessment which prevent candidates from effectively demonstrating their attainment. The code specifies that access arrangements must include additional time except in those instances where performing a task in limited time is an assessment objective.
	The code also requires the awarding bodies to publish details of special arrangements. The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), on behalf of the awarding bodies, publishes these details every year. Their current guidance (1 September 2004 to 31 August 2005) is published in the document 'Regulations and Guidance Relating to Candidates who are eligible for Adjustments in Examinations'. That guidance states that centres can allow up to a maximum of 25 per cent. extra time for candidates with a Statement of Special Educational Need, or a psychological assessment carried out by a qualified psychologist, or specialist assessment carried out by a specialist teacher.

Dyslexic Students

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what discussions she has had with organisations dealing with dyslexia on the needs of students taking examinations.

Maria Eagle: The Secretary of State has held no discussions with organisations dealing with dyslexia on the needs of students taking examinations. Arrangements for candidates with particular assessment requirements are a matter for the Regulators and the awarding bodies.
	Officials within the Department are currently consulting with stakeholders, including a range of disability organisations, about the extension of the Disability Discrimination Act to general qualifications bodies.

Education Funding

Michael Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 11 July 2005, Official Report, columns 836–39W, on education, 
	(1)  what methodology was used to calculate the area cost uplift for each area;
	(2)  on what basis the zero area cost uplift for the West Midland conurbation, Warwickshire and Gloucestershire was calculated.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 18 July 2004
	The Learning and Skills Council's (LSC) National Rates Advisory Group (NRAG), which advises the LSC on post-16 funding rates and related issues, commissioned the research which helped inform the LSC's area costs uplift. The research was carried out by independent consultants contracted by the LSC and was based on an analysis of differential salary data from the Labour Force Survey and the New Earnings Survey across England. The results were adjusted for affordability and generated the published area costs funding uplifts provided in my Answer of 11 July to Question reference 11107. The work generated a zero per cent area costs rate for the West Midlands Region, including Warwickshire, and for Gloucestershire. A summary of the NRAG recommendations is available on the LSC's website at http://www.lsc.gov.uk/National/Documents/SubjectListing/FundingLearning/FurtherEducation/default.htm, entitled Funding: Indicative Rates for Further Education, Work-Based Learning and School Sixth Forms in 2003–04.

Education Funding

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how much funding has beenallocated to Kent county council for the financial years (a) 2005–06 and (b) 2006–07 for Sure Start schemes;
	(2)  what the total budget allocated by Kent county council is to Sure Start schemes in Kent in (a) 2005–06 and (b) 2006–07.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 18 July 2005
	Kent county council has been allocated revenue funding of £6,777,085 in 2005–06 and £6,609,809 in 2006–07 for the Sure Start local programmes element of the council's children and families funding block of the local area agreement pilot of which the council is participating. The county council has also been allocated a total of £23,336,774 in the 2005–06 General Sure Start Grant (GSSG). This is made up of £5,415,544 capital and £17,921,230 revenue. The GSSG for 2006–07 will be communicated to local authorities around November 2005.

Educational Psychologists

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many established full-time equivalent posts for educational psychologists there are in (a) each local education authority and (b) England; how many such posts are vacant; and if she will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: The following table provides the information requested for January of 2004, the latest information available at LEA level.
	
		
			  Full-time equivalent educational psychologists(6) Vacant full-time permanent posts 
		
		
			 Darlington 3.8 1 
			 Hartlepool 3.1 1 
			 Middlesbrough 6.3 0 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 5.0 1 
			 Stockton on Tees 8.3 1 
			 Durham 29.0 0 
			 Northumberland 14.4 0 
			 Gates head 13.0 0 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 13.5 0 
			 North Tyneside 10.0 0 
			 South Tyneside 6.4 0 
			 Sunderland 10.2 3 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 7.5 1 
			 Blackpool 8.3 0 
			 Halton 3.5 2 
			 Warrington 7.4 0 
			 Cheshire 24.2 0 
			 Cumbria 19.0 0 
			 Bolton 10.2 0 
			 Bury 8.6 2 
			 Manchester 18.6 0 
			 Oldham 9.4 0 
			 Rochdale 5.9 2 
			 Salford 10.2 0 
			 Stockport 12.1 1 
			 Tameside 11.5 0 
			 Trafford 6.1 0 
			 Wigan 12.0 3 
			 Lancashire 43.2 0 
			 Knowsley 7.0 2 
			 Liverpool 18.4 0 
			 St. Helens 8.9 0 
			 Sefton 13.1 0 
			 Wirral 11.0 1 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 7.7 1 
			 City of Kingston upon Hull 12.0 0 
			 North East Lincolnshire 7.4 0 
			 North Lincolnshire 5.0 0 
			 York 8.1 0 
			 North Yorkshire 16.5 0 
			 Barnsley 4.0 0 
			 Doncaster 12.0 0 
			 Rotherham 9.8 0 
			 Sheffield 20.8 2 
			 Bradford 11.2 0 
			 Calderdale 7.8 0 
			 Kirklees 26.4 0 
			 Leeds 39.9 0 
			 Wakefield 9.5 0 
			 Derby 11.2 0 
			 Leicester 22.3 0 
			 Nottingham 13.0 2 
			 Rutland 0.0 0 
			 Derbyshire 27.5 1 
			 Leicestershire 19.8 8 
			 Lincolnshire 19.9 2 
			 Northamptonshire 27.9 3 
			 Nottinghamshire 25.9 0 
			 Herefordshire 6.1 0 
			 Stoke on Trent 9.3 0 
			 Telford and Wrekin 15.3 0 
			 Shropshire 0.0 0 
			 Staffordshire 25.4 0 
			 Warwickshire 17.1 0 
			 Birmingham 49.8 3 
			 Coventry 14.1 0 
			 Dudley 5.7 4 
			 Sandwell 16.2 0 
			 Solihull 11.6 0 
			 Walsall 14.0 0 
			 Wolverhampton 16.0 3 
			 Worcestershire 24.3 0 
			 Luton 6.0 1 
			 Peterborough 6.0 1 
			 Southend-on-Sea 6.6 1 
			 Thurrock 6.6 1 
			 Bedfordshire 14.3 0 
			 Cambridgeshire 17.7 0 
			 Essex 50.5 4 
			 Hertfordshire 29.6 3 
			 Norfolk 18.5 6 
			 Suffolk 17.8 2 
			 Camden 16.0 1 
			 City of London 0.3 0 
			 Hackney 12.0 0 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 10.8 0 
			 Haringey 11.5 1 
			 Islington 14.8 1 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 7.0 0 
			 Lambeth 20.9 4 
			 Lewisham 9.0 4 
			 Newham 11.4 3 
			 Southwark 15.0 0 
			 Tower Hamlets 14.4 0 
			 Wandsworth 13.2 0 
			 City of Westminster 7.8 1 
			 Barking and Dagenham 15.5 0 
			 Barnet 11.4 3 
			 Bexley 8.6 0 
			 Brent 12.6 0 
			 Bromley 9.5 0 
			 Croydon 14.4 0 
			 Ealing 13.4 0 
			 Enfield 22.5 0 
			 Greenwich 12.3 0 
			 Harrow 11.7 0 
			 Havering 9.7 1 
			 Hillingdon 12.7 1 
			 Hounslow 8.9 2 
			 Kingston upon Thames 8.4 0 
			 Merton 8.0 1 
			 Redbridge 10.4 0 
			 Richmond upon Thames 6.8 1 
			 Sutton 7.0 1 
			 Waltham Forest 19.4 2 
			 Bracknell Forest 4.2 0 
			 Brighton and Hove 11.7 0 
			 Isle of Wight 7.0 0 
			 Medway 12.8 0 
			 Milton Keynes 11.0 0 
			 Portsmouth 8.5 1 
			 Reading 4.7 0 
			 Slough 17.0 0 
			 Southampton 12.6 0 
			 West Berkshire 8.0 0 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 9.0 0 
			 Wokingham 7.6 0 
			 Buckinghamshire 22.0 1 
			 East Sussex 19.1 1 
			 Hampshire 51.9 2 
			 Kent 42.4 3 
			 Oxfordshire 25.8 0 
			 Surrey 39.1 3 
			 West Sussex 32.3 2 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 8.7 0 
			 Bournemouth 7.8 0 
			 City of Bristol 14.1 0 
			 North Somerset 10.1 1 
			 Plymouth 13.9 0 
			 Poole 5.5 0 
			 South Gloucestershire 8.0 1 
			 Swindon 7.0 0 
			 Torbay 4.5 1 
			 Cornwall 17.7 0 
			 Isles of Scilly 0.0 0 
			 Devon 27.0 0 
			 Dorset 16.2 1 
			 Gloucestershire 21.9 0 
			 Somerset 25.2 0 
			 Wiltshire 20.0 0 
			 England 2,104.8 113 
		
	
	(6) FTE educational psychologists includes those in post, on secondment for in-service training and on secondment for initial training as educational psychologists.
	Source:
	Annual Survey of Teachers in Service and Teacher Vacancies

Educational Psychologists

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when her Department (a) planned to let and (b) let the contract for the review of the functions and contribution of educational psychologists.

Maria Eagle: The written ministerial statement, issued on 1 February 2005, Official Report, column 52WS, announcing the proposed review indicated that its precise terms of reference would be agreed with the local authority employers' side, and that we expected the bulk of the work to be completed in 2005. We have had comments from representatives of the Local Government Association and the Employers' Organisation and would expect to issue invitations to tender for the work shortly. A contract with the successful applicant will be agreed as soon as is practicable thereafter.

FE Colleges

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills in what ways her Department is assisting adults of all ages to study languages in colleges of further education.

Bill Rammell: My Department wants to continue to make available a wide range of learning opportunities for adults of all ages, including for the study of modern foreign languages. Provision locally is for the individual college to determine in conjunction with the local Learning and Skills Council, in the light of both local needs and national priorities. As part of the Success for All" strategy modern foreign languages is a priority curriculum area for improving teaching and learning and introducing new approaches to continuing professional development. The aim is to improve the motivation and linguistic achievements of learners within the sector.

Free School Milk

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools provided EU-subsidised milk in the last two years in (a) the UK and (b) Lancashire; and how many children received the milk.

Jim Knight: I have been asked to reply.
	The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) pay subsidy on school milk in Great Britain. Officials in the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development pay the subsidy in Northern Ireland.
	In Great Britain 19,093 schools have claimed school milk subsidy over each of the last two years, covering 3.85 million children.
	In Lancashire 550 schools claimed subsidy, covering 94,000 children.

Nursery Places

Dan Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in (a) North East Somerset and (b) South Gloucestershire have taken up free nursery places since the policy was introduced.

Beverley Hughes: All four-year-olds in England have been entitled to a free part-time early education place since September 1998. All three-year-olds in England have been entitled to a free part-time early education place since April 2004.
	The available information on the numbers of free part-time early education places taken up by three and four-year-olds in Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire local education authority areas is shown in the tables.
	The latest figures on early education places for three and four-year-olds in England were published in Statistical First Release 18/2005 Provision for children under five years of age in England—January 2005 (provisional)" in May, which is available on the Department's website www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/.
	
		Number of free nursery education places taken up three and four-year–olds—maintained schools and private, voluntary and independent provide is Bath and North East Somerset local education authority area 1997–2004
		
			  Three-year-olds Four-year-olds 
			 Position in January each year Maintained nursery and primary schools(7) Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers Total Maintained nursery and primary schools(10) Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers Total 
		
		
			 1997 310 0 310 n/a n/a 1,700 
			 1998 310 0 310 n/a n/a 1,800 
			 1999 320 0 320 n/a n/a 1,900 
			 2000 300 0 300 n/a n/a 1,700 
			 2001 290 (8)200 490 n/a n/a 1,800 
			 2002 270 (8)460 730 1,300 (11)510 1,800 
			 2003 250 (8)470 720 1,300 (12)580 1,900 
			 2004 280 (9)900 1,200 1,200 (13)500 1,700 
		
	
	n/a=Not available.
	(7) Headcount of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools' Census.
	(8) Part-time equivalent number of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Nursery Education Grant data collection exercise.
	(9) Part-time equivalent number of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the Annual Schools' Census.
	(10) Headcount of children aged lour at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools' Census.
	(11) Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Nursery Education Grant data collection exercise.
	(12) Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census supplementary data collection exercise and the Annual Schools' Census.
	(13) Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the Annual Schools' Census.
	
		Number of free nursery education places taken up three and four year olds—maintained schools and private, voluntary and independent providers North Somerset local education authority area 1997–2004
		
			  Three-year-olds Four-year-olds 
			 Position in January each year Maintained nursery and primary schools(14) Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers Total Maintained nursery and primary schools(17) Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers Total 
		
		
			 1997 160 0 160 n/a n/a 1,800 
			 1998 160 0 160 n/a n/a 2,000 
			 1999 160 0 160 n/a n/a 2,000 
			 2000 200 0 200 n/a n/a 2,200 
			 2001 200 (15)100 300 n/a n/a 2,000 
			 2002 190 (15)950 1,100 1,400 (18)500 1,900 
			 2003 190 (15)1,300 1,500 1,500 (19)540 2,000 
			 2004 160 (16)1,300 1,500 1,500 (20)550 2,000 
		
	
	n/a=Not available.
	(14) Headcount of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools' Census.
	(15) Part-time equivalent number of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Nursery Education Grant data collection exercise.
	(16) Part-time equivalent number of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the Annual Schools' Census.
	(17) Headcount of children aged lour at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools' Census.
	(18) Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Nursery Education Grant data collection exercise.
	(19) Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census supplementary data collection exercise and the Annual Schools' Census.
	(20) Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the Annual Schools' Census.
	
		Number of free nursery education places taken up three and four year olds—maintained schools and private, voluntary and independent providers South Gloucestershire local education authority area 1997–2004
		
			  Three-year-olds Four-year-olds 
			 Position in January each year Maintained nursery and primary schools(21) Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers Total Maintained nursery and primary schools(24) Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers Total 
		
		
			 1997 400 0 400 n/a n/a 2,700 
			 1998 320 0 320 n/a n/a 3,000 
			 1999 330 0 330 n/a n/a 3,100 
			 2000 330 0 330 n/a n/a 3,200 
			 2001 340 (22)140 480 n/a n/a 3,100 
			 2002 330 (22)1,300 1,600 2,300 (25)780 3,100 
			 2003 300 (22)1,900 2,200 2,200 (26)780 3,000 
			 2004 300 (23)1,500 1,800 2,200 (27)670 2,900 
		
	
	n/a=Not available.
	(21) Headcount of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools' Census.
	(22) Part-time equivalent number of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Nursery Education Grant data collection exercise.
	(23) Part-time equivalent number of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the Annual Schools' Census.
	(24) Headcount of children aged lour at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools' Census.
	(25) Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Nursery Education Grant data collection exercise.
	(26) Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census supplementary data collection exercise and the Annual Schools' Census.
	(27) Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the Annual Schools' Census.
	Changes in pupil figures may arise from changes to the underlying population in the local education authority area and other factors. However, my Department doesn't publish population figures for individual age cohorts at sub-national level because of the unreliability of the underlying population estimates. The Office for National Statistics publish sub-national population estimates in five-year age bands.

Progression Targets

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to introduce targets for progression at (a) 16 and (b) 18 for secondary schools; and if she will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The Government's plans for developing measures of young people's progression in learning are set out in the 14–19 Education and Skills White Paper, published on 23 February 2005. We will record what qualifications Year 11 pupils go on to achieve by age 19 in order to develop a measure of how successful the pupils of each school are in gaining qualifications after statutory school leaving age. We will consider how this measure can be used to set targets to improve progression.

Special Educational Needs (Essex)

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what the staffing ratios were for (a) Glenwood Severe Learning Difficulty and (b) Cedar Hall Moderate Learning Difficulty special schools in Castle Point in each of the last three years for which figures are available;
	(2)  what the staffing ratios are for (a) Glenwood Special School and (b) Cedar Hall Special School in Castle Point.

Maria Eagle: The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		Pupil:teacher and pupil:adult ratio for Glenwood and Cedar Hall SchoolPosition in January each year
		
			  2003 2004 2005(31) 
			  Pupil:teacher ratio(28)(5508060029) Pupil:adult ratio(29)(5508060030) Pupil:teacher ratio(28)(5508060029) Pupil:adult ratio(29)(5508060030) Pupil:teacher ratio(28)(5508060029) Pupil:adult ratio(29)(5508060030) 
		
		
			 Glenwood School 6.0 2.2 6.9 2.5 6.6 2.5 
			 Cedar Hall School 8.8 4.9 8.8 n/a 7.8 4.5 
		
	
	n/a = not available
	(28) The PTR is calculated by dividing the total FTE number of pupils on roll in schools by the total FTE number of qualified teachers regularly employed in schools.
	(29) For statistical purposes only, pupils who do not attend both morning and afternoon at least five days a week are regarded as part-time. Each part-time pupil is treated as 0.5 FTE.
	(30) The PAR is calculated by dividing the total FTE number of pupils on roll by the total FTE number of all teachers and support staff employed in schools, excluding administrative and clerical staff.
	(31) Provisional
	Source:
	Annual School Census

Special Educational Needs (Essex)

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average staffing ratio was for (a) moderate learning difficulty and (b) severe learning difficulty special schools in Essex in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Maria Eagle: The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		Pupil:teacher ratio and pupil:adult ratio in schools formally approved to make provision for moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties, Essex local education authority 
		
			  Schools approved to make provision for moderate learning difficulties Schools approved to make provision for severe learning difficulties 
			 Position in January each year Pupil:teacher ratio 1, 2 Pupil:adult ratio 2, 3 Pupil:teacher ratio 1, 2 Pupil:adult ratio 2, 3 
		
		
			 2003 7.7 3.4 6.8 2.7 
			 2004 8.0 3.2 7.6 2.7 
			 2005(35) 7.8 3.0 7.7 2.7 
		
	
	(32) The PTR is calculated by dividing the total FTE number of pupils on roll in schools by the total FTE number of qualified teachers regularly employed in schools.
	(33) For statistical purposes only, pupils who do not attend both morning and afternoon at least five days a week are regarded as part-time. Each part-time pupil is treated as 0.5 FTE.
	(34) The PAR is calculated by dividing the total FTE number of pupils on roll by the total FTE number of all teachers and support staff employed in schools, excluding administrative and clerical staff.
	(35) Provisional
	Source:
	Annual Schools Census

Special Educational Needs (Essex)

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average class size for (a) moderate learning difficulty (MLD) and (b) severe learning difficulty (SLD) special schools in Essex was in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and if she will estimate the average class size in (i) MLD and (ii) SLD special schools in Essex in 2005–06.

Maria Eagle: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Special Educational Needs (Essex)

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the moderate learning difficulty (MLD) schools in Essex; and how many MLD schools there are in each local education authority.

Maria Eagle: The information requested is as follows.
	Special schools formally approved to make provision for moderate learning difficulties 1 
	January 2005 (provisional v4)—Essex local education authority
	Kingswode Hoe School
	The Hayward School
	Cedar Hall School
	Oak View School
	Castledon School
	The Endeavour School
	The Leas School
	The Edith Borthwick School
	St. John's RC School (Essex)
	Thriftwood School
	Market Field School
	Harlow Fields School
	The Pioneer School
	1 Includes maintained and non-maintained special schools
	
		Number of special schools formally approved to make provision for moderate learning difficulties1, January 2005 (provisional v4), by local education authority area
		
			   Number 
		
		
			 England  508 
			
			 North East  32 
			 841 Darlington 1 
			 840 Durham 7 
			 390 Gateshead 3 
			 805 Hartlepool 2 
			 806 Middlesbrough 2 
			 391 Newcastle upon Tyne 2 
			 392 North Tyneside 3 
			 929 Northumberland 4 
			 807 Redcar and Cleveland 2 
			 393 South Tyneside 3 
			 808 Stockton-on-Tees 2 
			 394 Sunderland 1 
			
			 North West  81 
			 889 Blackburn with Darwen 2 
			 890 Blackpool 2 
			 350 Bolton 2 
			 351 Bury 2 
			 875 Cheshire 10 
			 909 Cumbria 1 
			 876 Halton 1 
			 340 Knowsley 4 
			 888 Lancashire 16 
			 341 Liverpool 9 
			 352 Manchester 3 
			 353 Oldham 3 
			 354 Rochdale 3 
			 355 Salford 3 
			 343 Sefton 2 
			 342 St. Helens 2 
			 356 Stockport 4 
			 357 Tameside 2 
			 358 Trafford 3 
			 877 Warrington 1 
			 359 Wigan 3 
			 344 Wirral 3 
			   
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 48 
			 370 Barnsley 0 
			 380 Bradford 5 
			 381 Calderdale 3 
			 371 Doncaster 4 
			 811 East Riding of Yorkshire 1 
			 810 Kingston Upon Hull, City of 1 
			 382 Kirklees 5 
			 383 Leeds 4 
			 812 North East 1 
			 813 North Lincolnshire 2 
			 815 North Yorkshire 9 
			 372 Rotherham 4 
			 373 Sheffield 5 
			 384 Wakefield 2 
			 816 York 2 
			
			 East Midlands  41 
			 831 Derby 3 
			 830 Derbyshire 5 
			 856 Leicester 5 
			 855 Leicestershire 3 
			 925 Lincolnshire 8 
			 928 Northamptonshire 6 
			 892 Nottingham 3 
			 891 Nottinghamshire 7 
			 857 Rutland 1 
			
			 West Midlands  64 
			 330 Birmingham 14 
			 331 Coventry 4 
			 332 Dudley 4 
			 884 Herefordshire 3 
			 333 Sandwell 1 
			 893 Shropshire 1 
			 334 Solihull 2 
			 860 Staffordshire 12 
			 861 Stoke-on-Trent 3 
			 894 Telford and Wrekin 2 
			 335 Walsall 2 
			 937 Warwickshire 6 
			 336 Wolverhampton 2 
			 885 Worcestershire 8 
			
			 East of England  52 
			 820 Bedfordshire 5 
			 873 Cambridgeshire 5 
			 881 Essex 13 
			 919 Hertfordshire 10 
			 821 Luton 2 
			 926 Norfolk 4 
			 874 Peterborough 3 
			 882 Southend-on-Sea 3 
			 935 Suffolk 6 
			 883 Thurrock 1 
			
			 London  57 
			 Inner London  25 
			 202 Camden 2 
			 201 City of London 0 
			 204 Hackney 3 
			 205 Hammersmith and Fulham 1 
			 309 Haringey 3 
			 206 Islington 1 
			 207 Kensington and Chelsea 1 
			 208 Lambeth 3 
			 209 Lewisham 3 
			 316 Newham 0 
			 210 Southwark 3 
			 211 Tower Hamlets 1 
			 212 Wandsworth 3 
			 213 Westminster 1 
			
			 Outer London  32 
			 301 Barking and Dagenham 1 
			 302 Barnet 3 
			 303 Bexley 1 
			 304 Brent 2 
			 305 Bromley 1 
			 306 Croydon 2 
			 307 Ealing 3 
			 308 Enfield 1 
			 203 Greenwich 2 
			 310 Harrow 2 
			 311 Havering 3 
			 312 Hillingdon 3 
			 313 Hounslow 1 
			 314 Kingston upon Thames 1 
			 315 Merton 1 
			 317 Redbridge 2 
			 318 Richmond upon Thames 1 
			 319 Sutton 1 
			 320 Waltham Forest 1 
			
			 South East  91 
			 867 Bracknell Forest 1 
			 846 Brighton and Hove 4 
			 825 Buckinghamshire 8 
			 845 East Sussex 10 
			 850 Hampshire 16 
			 921 Isle of Wight 1 
			 886 Kent 13 
			 887 Medway 2 
			 826 Milton Keynes 3 
			 931 Oxfordshire 5 
			 851 Portsmouth 3 
			 870 Reading 1 
			 871 Slough 1 
			 852 Southampton 3 
			 936 Surrey 10 
			 869 West Berkshire 2 
			 938 West Sussex 5 
			 868 Windsor and Maidenhead 1 
			 872 Wokingham 2 
			
			 South West  42 
			 800 Bath and North East Somerset 3 
			 837 Bournemouth 1 
			 801 Bristol, City of 3 
			 908 Cornwall 1 
			 878 Devon 5 
			 835 Dorset 4 
			 916 Gloucestershire 6 
			 420 Isles of Scilly 0 
			 802 North Somerset 3 
			 879 Plymouth 4 
			 836 Poole 2 
			 933 Somerset 4 
			 803 South Gloucestershire 1 
			 866 Swindon 2 
			 880 Torbay 1 
			 865 Wiltshire 2 
		
	
	(36) Includes maintained and non-maintained special schools.
	Source:
	Annual Schools Census

Special Educational Needs (Essex)

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many special educational needs children there are in each band in Essex moderate learning difficulty schools.

Maria Eagle: Data collected in January 2005 shows that there were 1,340 pupils with special educational needs (SEN) with a statement in maintained and non-maintained special schools approved to make provision for moderate learning difficulties in Essex local education authority. The corresponding figure for pupils with special educational needs without a statement is zero.

Sure Start

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many under-fives she estimates will be included in the Sure Start programme in (a) the North East, (b) the Tees Valley and (c) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland.

Beverley Hughes: Local authorities are currently developing Sure Start children's centres as part of the Government's strategy to deliver better outcomes for children and families. The following table shows target reach figures for the number of under-fives expected to be supported through the Sure Start Children's Centres being created by local authorities covering (a) the North-East, (b) the Tees Valley and (c) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland areas by March 2006 and by March 2008.
	
		
			 Area Target number of 0 to 4's to be reached through Sure Start Children's Centres by March 2006 (Phase 1)(37) Target number of 0 to 4's to be reached through Sure Start Children's Centres by March 2008 (Phase 2)(38) 
		
		
			 North East 60,054 112,689 
			 Tees Valley (Stockton on Tees LA) 3,666 8,095 
			 Middlesbrough South (Middlesbrough LA) 4,268 7,237 
			 East Cleveland (Redcar and Cleveland LA) 3,457 6,036 
		
	
	(37) Represents target number of children to be reached in 20 per cent. most disadvantaged wards.
	(38) Totals include the figure to March 2006 and cover the rest of the children in the disadvantaged areas and beyond.

Sure Start

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many empty places there are in Sure Start nurseries in (a) England, (b) the North East, (c) the Tees Valley and (d) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland;
	(2)  how many under-fives entitled to free places on the Sure Start scheme are on waiting lists (a) in England, (b) in the North East, (c) in the Tees Valley and (d) in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland.

Beverley Hughes: All Sure Start Children's Centres provide child care. However, information about empty places or subsidised free places is not collected centrally. Sure Start Children's Centres also provide the free entitlement to child care and early learning for three and four-year-olds whose parents want it consists of a minimum of five two and a half hour sessions per week for 33 weeks of the year (usually divided into three 11 week terms) for six terms before statutory school age, which is the term following their fifth birthday.
	Some local authorities may additionally offer subsidised child care places but this information is not collected centrally.
	The latest provisional figures for January 2005 show that all four-year-old children receive some form of free entitlement. The figure for three-year-olds is 98 per cent. This covers all maintained, private, voluntary and independent providers and represents an estimated 546,400 three-year-olds and 573,500 four-year-olds.
	Related information on the number of free nursery education places taken up by three and four-year-olds in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland parliamentary constituency area is only available for January 2004. These figures are shown in the following table. The equivalent information for the North East Government Office region and the Middlesbrough, Stockton and Redcar and Cleveland local education authority areas is also shown for completeness.
	
		Number of free nursery education places(39) taken up by three and four-year-old children
		
			 Position as at January 2004 
			  Three-year-olds 
			  Maintained nursery and primary schools(40) Other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers(41) Total three-year-olds(40)(5508060041) 
		
		
			 North East Government Office Region 19,300 5,000 24,300 
			 Middlesbrough LEA 1,400 170 1,600 
			 Redcar and Cleveland LEA 1,400 90 1,400 
			 Stockton LEA 1,600 220 1,800 
			 Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland parliamentary  constituency(44) 920 20 940 
		
	
	
		Position as at January 2004
		
			 Four-year-olds 
			  Maintained nursery and primary schools(42) Other maintained private, voluntary and independent providers(43) Total four-year-olds(42)(5508060043) 
		
		
			 North East Government Office Region 26,200 1,800 28,000 
			 Middlesbrough LEA 1,600 50 1,700 
			 Redcar and Cleveland LEA 1,600 20 1,600 
			 Stockton LEA 2,100 140 2,200 
			 Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland parliamentary  constituency(44) 1,000 10 1,000 
		
	
	(39) Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 or 100 as appropriate.
	(40) Headcount of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools' Census.
	(41) Part-time equivalent number of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the Annual Schools' Census.
	(42) Headcount of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Annual Schools' Census.
	(43) Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the Annual Schools' Census.
	(44) Providers are located in the Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland LEAs.
	The latest figures on early years provision for three and four-year-olds in England were published in Statistical First Release 18/2005 Provision for children under five years of age in England—January 2005 (provisional)", which is available on the Department's website www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/

Sure Start

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will take steps to provide support in meeting the cost of Sure Start places for parents whose children are not entitled to free places but who are on low incomes.

Beverley Hughes: The majority of services available through Sure Start local programmes are free at the point of use. Local programmes are, however, able to charge parents for child care services provided. Given this, the Government are committed to ensuring that high quality places for children under five, where care and education are integrated, are both affordable and accessible to all parents, particularly those living in disadvantaged areas.
	To this end, the 10-year child care strategy, published in December 2004, set out our vision for ensuring that every child gets the best start in life and giving parents more choice about how to balance work and family life.
	Child care costs are currently subsidised by tax credits which are rightly targeted at lower and middle income families. The working tax credit is designed to help with the costs of registered or approved child care. From April 2005 the maximum child care element of the working tax credit increased from £135 to £175 for one child and from £200 to £300 for two or more children, subject to a maximum portion of child care costs payable of 70 per cent. From April 2006 the maximum will increase from 70 per cent. to 80 per cent. These changes were expected to benefit 20,000 families straight away and many more over time.
	The Government currently provides support to all parents in meeting child care costs and is clearly committed to increasing such support in the future.
	From 2006 the 12.5 hour free entitlement to early education for 33 weeks per year will be extended to cover 38 weeks per year for all children aged three or four. From 2007 the free entitlement will begin to increase to 15 hours per week, with all children receiving 15 hours by 2010 on the way to a goal of 20 hours per week. Parents will have the flexibility to use the free entitlement across a minimum of three days. This will result in better choices for all parents who need full day, all year round child care, improved affordability for parents; and more sustainable income for providers.
	From April 2007 maternity leave will be extended to nine months with a goal to increase this to 12 months by the end of next Parliament, and with the right for the mother to transfer a portion of her maternity leave to the father. This will enable parents to have greater choice about how to balance their work and family responsibilities.

Sure Start

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people have been (a) checked, (b) approved and (c) declined by the Sure Start approval scheme since 4 January.

Beverley Hughes: Under the Childcare Approval Scheme (CAS) initial checks take various forms, predominately a telephone helpline service. Records are not maintained on the number of inquiries that relate to checks through this service. The total number of inquiries handled by the helpline is 12,134 since the service opened on 4 January 2005.
	By 14 July 2005, 372 applications had been approved under the CAS and 511 were being processed. No applications for approval have been rejected.

Sure Start

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills on what basis the decision to require child carers to renew their approval annually under the Sure Start approval scheme was made.

Beverley Hughes: Many nannies" change employment on a regular basis and at present the enhanced Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) disclosure is only valid on the day it is issued. 90 per cent. of respondents to the consultation supported the proposal that renewal should be annual.

Training Providers

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the effect on existing learners of the phasing out of lead and feed arrangements where existing training providers lose their contracts; and what estimate she has made of the number of learners who may be affected;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the commercial implications of requiring training providers to establish a series of regional contracts before they can be consolidated into a single national contract with regional management arrangements;
	(3)  if she will make a statement on the commercial implications of replacing lead and feed arrangements in the awarding of contracts to training providers through the Learning and Skills Council with regional contracting in 2005–06 for providers already operating on a (a) regional and (b) national basis.

Bill Rammell: The 'lead and feed' arrangements were part of the Learning and Skills Council (LSC)'s contracting arrangements for 2004–05 and were designed to simplify the relationship between providers and the LSC. As part of its continuing drive to improve quality in work-based learning the LSC has reviewed its contracting arrangements, including 'lead and feed' arrangements and is introducing new systems for 2005–06. I have asked Mark Haysom, the Council's Chief Executive, to write to the hon. Gentleman with more detail about these issues. A copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.
	Letter from Mark Haysom to Mr. Stephen O'Brien, dated 8 July 2005
	I have been asked by the Secretary of State for Education and Skills to provide you with a written response to your recent parliamentary questions regarding the LSC's regional contracting arrangements.
	Lead and feed arrangements were introduced in August 2003 to meet the requirements of Success for All to introduce single contracts and development plans for national providers. The arrangements also enabled the LSC to meet requests from The Association of Learning Providers to reduce the bureaucracy of contracting for large providers who worked across more than one local LSC area.
	The arrangements were reviewed in 2004 and found to have met the objective of reducing bureaucracy. However, the review also found that the majority of large providers still had success rates below the national average. The review therefore recommended a move to regional contracting so that the LSC could dedicate more senior resource to support providers in improving their quality and success rates.
	Many large, national providers have introduced their own regional management arrangements and the commercial impact of the regional contracting on providers is not expected to be significant.
	Regional contracting will not affect the responsibility for local LSC's to decide which providers they contract with and for what programmes. Local LSC's will be making contracting decisions based on providers' past performance and local need. This may result in some providers not having their contract renewed but this will not be as a result of the introduction of regional contracting.
	Where the decision not to contract with a provider would result in the displacement of learners, the LSC is fully equipped and ready to place each learner with a new provider so that the learner can complete their original programme with the minimum disruption. It is not possible to calculate the number of learners affected until contracting negotiations have taken place.
	The LSC expects that regional contracting will give providers the opportunity to re-direct administration and management time to front line delivery as the number of points at which we liaise reduces from one per local LSC to one per region.
	I trust that this covers the three questions you have raised.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Claim Management Companies

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assessment she has made of the level of service provided by claim management companies.

Bridget Prentice: The Government have decided that insufficient progress has been made in improving the service provided by claims management companies through effective self-regulation. The Government have therefore announced that it will introduce measures in the Compensation Bill to enable claims management companies to be effectively regulated.

Commonwealth (Voting)

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what estimate she has made of the number of British nationals who voted in each of the Commonwealth countries in the last five years.

Harriet Harman: Decisions about voting rights of British citizens resident in other Commonwealth countries are for the individual countries concerned. The number of resident British citizens who may be entitled to vote and who actually do so in elections held in other Commonwealth countries is not therefore collected by the UK Government.

Commonwealth (Voting)

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many Commonwealth citizens voted in the last general election.

Harriet Harman: This information is not collected. No record is kept of the country of origin or nationality of individual voters in UK elections, and it is not possible to differentiate between voters upon this basis.

Data Protection Act

Harry Cohen: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will make a statement on her correspondence with the Information Commissioner concerning (a) the numbers of manual filing systems held by private sector bodies which are subject to the Data Protection Act 1998, (b) whether simple CCTV systems recording individual activities constitute the processing of personal data and (c) whether a record of a name of a public servant, recorded by a public authority amounts to personal data; and if she will place the correspondence in the Library.

Bridget Prentice: My Department is in regular discussion with the Information Commissioner on these and other matters. I have no plans at present to place any correspondence in the Library.

Freedom of Information

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many appeals have been received by the Information Commissioner's Officer against refusals to divulge information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000; and how many of those have been determined.

Bridget Prentice: At 30 June 2005, the total number of appeals received by the Office of the Information Commissioner was 1,157, of which 224 have been determined.

Management Consultancies

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs which five management consultancies received the highest value of contracts awarded by her Department in each of the last three years; and what the total value was of the contracts awarded to each.

Bridget Prentice: My Department has let consultancy contracts with the five following companies in the financial years shown, to the aggregate values indicated. Figures for financial year 2004–05 are not currently available.
	
		£
		
			  2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 CMG 1.2 million — — 
			 PA Consulting 773,000 509,000 1.5 million 
			 Deloitte 555,000 424,000 1.3 million 
			 ASE Consulting 546,000 912,000 — 
			 CI International 522,000 641,000 — 
			 Logica CMG — 680,000 442,000 
			 PWC — — 3.1 million 
			 ORC — — 250,000 
		
	
	My Department uses consultants for the provision of expert professional advice and support on specific, time-limited tasks, usually in connection with projects, but sometimes in support of the ongoing operation of the Department.
	The levels of expenditure reflects the wide-ranging and fast-paced programme to modernise the Department's work, to increase efficiency, provide better customer service, and value for money for the taxpayer.
	Delivering such a programme, in the most effective and efficient way, has necessitated the use of external expertise and skills to supplement the Department's own resources.

Management Consultancies

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what her Department's total spending on management consultants has been in each of the last three years.

Bridget Prentice: From April 2001 until March 2004, my Department's expenditure with management consultants was as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 2001–02 6.5 
			 2002–03 5.7 
			 2003–04 9.0 
		
	
	Expenditure reflects the wide-ranging and fast-paced programme to modernise the Department's work, to increase efficiency, provide better customer service, and value for money for the taxpayer.
	My Department uses consultants for the provision of expert professional advice and support on specific, time-limited tasks, usually in connection with projects, but sometimes in support of the ongoing operation of the Department.
	Figures for the financial year 2004–05 are not currently available.

Race Relations Act

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what account was taken of the provisions of the Race Relations Act 1976 in conducting the regulatory impact assessment for price competitive tendering.

Bridget Prentice: The Legal Services Commission fully recognises and actively seeks to fulfil its obligations under Race Relations legislation to eliminate unlawful discrimination, promote equality of opportunity and encourage good race relations. As such, prior to publication of its proposals for competitive tendering, the LSC had already carried out a partial race equality impact assessment on both black and minority ethnic (BME) firms and clients.
	Close collaboration with the Law Society, the Black Solicitors Network and other specialist practitioner and representative groups will help to inform a full race impact assessment to be carried out during summer 2005.
	In addition, the LSC is tendering for research into the issues faced by BME firms within its legal aid supplier base. The information from this research will further help to shape the development of competitive tendering policy.

Race Relations Act

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will take steps to protect small black minority and ethnic law firms as part of the proposed price competitive tendering for criminal legal aid contracts.

Bridget Prentice: The Legal Services Commission (LSC) is strongly committed to promoting diversity within the supplier base and is aware of the concerns of small black and minority ethnic (BME) firms providing London based criminal defence services.
	The potential impact of competitive tendering upon BME firms was raised in the consultation paper Improving value for money for publicly funded criminal defence services in London", published in January 2005. The LSC has been working closely with both BME suppliers and their representative bodies throughout the competitive tendering consultation process to address any concerns they may have.
	The LSC is also commissioning research into the issues faced by BME firms within the legal aid supplier base. This research will help to cultivate further measures to protect small black and minority ethnic suppliers against unfair discrimination.

Voting

Jimmy Hood: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what research the Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on compulsory voting; and if she will make a statement.

Harriet Harman: My Department has neither commissioned nor evaluated research on proposals for a compulsory voting system.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Advertising

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much the Department spent on advertising in each of the last five years.

Charles Clarke: The amount spent by the Home Office on advertising over the last five years was:
	2000–01: £28.36 million. Campaigns included fire safety, vehicle crime and recruitment of police officers
	2001–02: £14.4 million. Campaigns included fire safety, vehicle crime, internet child protection, drugs, recruitment of police officers and postal voting
	2002–03: £9.9 million. Campaigns included vehicle crime, internet child protection, drugs, firearms amnesty and recruitment of police officers
	2003–04: £12.487 million. Campaigns included vehicle crime, internet child protection, drugs, recruitment of police officers and domestic violence
	2004–05: Figures are still being reconciled but current data shows £9.7million. Campaigns included recruitment of police officers, drugs, internet child protection, domestic violence and firearms.

Anti-terrorism Legislation

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were detained under anti-terrorism legislation in each year since 1975; how many were (a) UK and (b) non-UK citizens; how many of those detained were subsequently charged with (i) terrorist and (ii) other criminal offences; and how many were deported.

Charles Clarke: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 27 June 2005, Official Report, column 1240W.

Asylum Seekers

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will adopt the recommendation of the Home Affairs Select Committee of April 2003 to collect data on the numbers of people who abscond once they have reached the end of the asylum process.

Tony McNulty: Work is ongoing to develop methodology to identify absconders using existing data sources and collate reliable data. If the data quality is sufficient to comply with National Statistics protocols, we will consider the most appropriate method for publishing this information.

Child Abuse

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many successful prosecutions there have been of individuals for child abuse in cases where the child had been accused of witchcraft in each of the last five years; and whether religious leaders have been prosecuted in connection with such cases.

Fiona Mactaggart: It is not possible from the Home Office court proceedings database to identify those defendants prosecuted for child abuse, where the child had been accused of witchcraft, as the details of the offences are not centrally collected. Nor is it possible to identify those defendants who are religious leaders.

Criminal Records Bureau

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his Answer to the hon. Member for Leyton and Wanstead of 28 June 2005, Official Report, column 1451W, on the Criminal Records Bureau, what criteria will be taken into account in determining whether to proceed with the basic disclosure.

Andy Burnham: The criteria to be taken into account for determining whether to proceed with the basic disclosure service will include due consideration regarding the method of access for applicants to the service; the cost of delivering the service; the likely demand for the service; and methods for verifying the applicant's identity to ensure the integrity of the service.

Departmental Bills

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list bills sponsored by his Department in each session since 1979.

Charles Clarke: The information for the period requested is not readily available across Whitehall and could only be answered by incurring disproportionate costs. Since 1997 the Home Office has sponsored the following Bills.
	1996–97 Session
	Firearms (Amendment) Bill—Royal Assent received 27 February 1997
	Crime (Sentences) Bill—Royal Assent received 21 March 1997
	Police Bill—Royal Assent received 21 March 1997
	Police and Firemen's Pensions Bill—Royal Assent received 21 March 1997
	Protection from Harassment Bill—Royal Assent received 21 March 1997
	Sex Offenders Bill—Royal Assent received 21 March 1997
	Sexual Offences (Protected Material) Bill—Royal Assent received 21 March 1997
	1997–98 Session
	Firearms (Amendment) (No.2) Bill—Royal Assent received 27 November 1997
	Special Immigration Appeals Commission Bill—Royal Assent received 17 December 1997
	Data Protection Bill—Royal Assent received 16 July 1998
	Crime and Disorder Bill—Royal Assent received 31 July 1998
	Criminal Justice (Terrorism and Conspiracy) Bill—Royal Assent received 4 September 1998
	Human Rights Bill—Royal Assent received 9 November 1998
	Registration of Political Parties Bill—Royal Assent received 19 November 1998
	1998–99 Session
	European Parliamentary Elections Bill—Royal Assent received 14 January 1999
	Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Bill—Royal Assent received 27 July 1999
	Immigration and Asylum Bill—Royal Assent received 11 November 1999
	1999–2000 Session
	Representation of the People Bill—Royal Assent received 9 March 2000
	Terrorism Bill—Royal Assent received 20 July 2000
	Football (Disorder) Bill—Royal Assent received 28 July 2000
	Regulation of Investigatory Powers Bill—Royal Assent received 28 July 2000
	Disqualifications Bill—Royal Assent received 30 November 2000
	Freedom of Information Bill—Royal Assent received 30 November 2000
	Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Bill—Royal Assent received 30 November 2000
	Race Relations (Amendment) Bill—Royal Assent received 30 November 2000
	Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill—Royal Assent received 30 November 2000
	Criminal Justice and Court Services Bill—Royal Assent received 30 November 2000
	Criminal Justice (Mode of Trial) Bill
	Criminal Justice (Mode of Trial) (No.2) Bill
	2000–01 Session
	Vehicles (Crime) Bill—Royal Assent received 10 April 2001
	Election Publications Bill—Royal Assent received 10 April 2001
	Elections Bill—Royal Assent received 10 April 2001
	Criminal Justice and Police Bill—Royal Assent received 11 May 2001
	2001–02 Session
	Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Bill—Royal Assent received 13 December 2001
	Football Disorder (Amendment) Bill—Royal Assent received 1 May 2002
	Proceeds of Crime Bill—Royal Assent received 24 July 2002
	Police Reform Bill—Royal Assent received 24 July 2002
	Mobile Telephones (Reprogramming) Bill—Royal Assent received 24 July 2002
	Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill—Royal Assent received 7 November 2002
	2002–03 Session
	Criminal Justice Bill—Royal Assent received 20 November 2003
	Sexual Offences Bill—Royal Assent received 20 November 2003
	Crime (International Co-operation) Bill—Royal Assent received 30 October 2003
	Extradition Bill—Royal Assent received 20 November 2003
	Anti-Social Behaviour Bill—Royal Assent received 20 November 2003
	2003–04 Session
	Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants) Bill—Royal Assent received 22 July 2004
	Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Bill—Royal Assent received 15 November 2004
	2004–05 Session
	Prevention of Terrorism Bill—Royal Assent received 11 March 2005
	Serious and Organised Crime Bill—Royal Assent received 7 April 2005
	Drugs Bill—Royal Assent received 7 April 2005
	2005–06 Session
	Charities Bill
	Identity Cards Bill
	Violent Crime Bill
	Racial and Religious Hatred Bill
	Immigration, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Domestic Violence

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) men and (b) women have been (i) charged and (ii) convicted of offences relating to the making of false allegations concerning domestic violence in each of the last five calendar years.

Fiona Mactaggart: Statistics on persons charged with an offence are not centrally collected. Neither is it possible to identify those defendants on the Home Office court proceedings database convicted of offences relating to the making of false allegations concerning domestic violence, as circumstances surrounding an offence are not collected.

Drug Rehabilitation

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many non-charitable organisations the Hertfordshire probation area administers for the provision of (a) drug treatment testing orders and (b) drug rehabilitation requirements.

Fiona Mactaggart: There are four non-charitable organisations involved with the provision of drug treatment and testing orders (DTTOs)/drug rehabilitation requirements (DRRs) supervised by Hertfordshire probation area. These are all community drug and alcohol teams (CDATs), which deliver clinical services i.e.prescribing, clinical and psychiatric assessments to offenders on DTTOs/DRRs in Hertfordshire.

English Wine

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will ensure that English wine is made available at dinners, receptions and parties he hosts at which hospitality involving wine is appropriate (a) during the EU presidency and (b) generally; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Clarke: The Home Office has enquired into procuring English wine for events in the past, however it has proved to be more cost effective to continue to use a diverse range of wine. Our procurement is in line with the EC's procurement rules to obtain value for money for the Department and where possible British products are used.

Full-time Staff

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many full-time equivalent staff there were in (a) Home Office Central, (b) the Prison Service, (c) the United Kingdom Passport Service, (d) the Forensic Science Service and (e) the Fire Service College in (i) 2000–01, (ii) 2001–02, (iii) 2002–03, (iv)2003–04 and (v) 2004–05.

Charles Clarke: The numbers of civil service staff on a full-time equivalent basis can be found in the following table. They are taken from the Home Office Departmental Report 2004–05 (Cm 6528).
	
		
			  2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 Home Office Central 13,204 13,204 14,909 17,976 19,316 
			 Prison Service 41,609 42,057 42,570 44,431 46,015 
			 UK Passport Service 1,690 2,132 2,845 2,736 2,772 
			 Forensic Science Service 1,469 2,376 2,506 2,570 2,399 
			 Fire Service College(45) 160 (46)113 — — — 
			 Total 59,930 59,927 62,833 67,713 70,502 
		
	
	(45)Fire Service College ceased to be part of the Home Office following the machinery of Government changes of 8 June 2001.
	(46)The figures given for 2001–02 are end-period FTE actuals. Other figures are calculated on a five quarter moving average.

Identity Cards

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of times in a year (a) police, (b) security services and (c) tax officials will be provided with information from the national register associated with the identity card; and if he will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: Work has been conducted with the police, HM Revenue and Customs and the Security Service to identify their possible demand for verification requests and provision of information from the National Identity Register. These estimates have informed the development of the cost estimates published in the regulatory impact assessment on 25 May and the benefits overview published on 28 June. However these estimates remain under review as more detailed work with these organisations progresses and it would not be appropriate to publish them at this stage.

Identity Cards

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research he has evaluated on the impact of identity cards on tackling crime in countries which have identity cards.

Andy Burnham: Most countries with identity cards have had schemes in place for many years and they are therefore not in a position to evaluate the impact they have on crime. However, it is clear that schemes in other countries do help in the fight against crime, for example the Spanish police have stated that identifying nearly all of the terrorists involved in the Madrid bombings was made significantly easier by their identity cards scheme. Identity cards were also used to identify the victims of the bombings quickly.
	Biometrics are being used to more strongly tie a verified identity to an individual. In this way, biometrics can be used along with an ID card to verify that identity against the record held for that card. Other forms of authentication, such as PIN numbers and passwords can be stolen along with a card so are much weaker at linking a person to an identity.
	All the Schengen states will be required to use biometrics in passports under Council Regulation 2252/2004. Fingerprint biometrics (rather than just fingerprints) will be introduced within three years of adoption. Non- Schengen states may choose to follow the requirements, although they would not be bound by the timetable.
	Other EU member states which issue identity cards are considering introducing biometrics to increase security and some, for example Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain, already collect one of more fingerprints as part of their national identity card schemes.

Identity Cards

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the cost of equipping (a) the Prison Service and (b) other Home Office premises to which the public have access with identity card readers.

Andy Burnham: The Home Office has been working to identify areas where the identity cards scheme could provide business benefits. On 28 June 2005, my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary placed in the Library a paper containing the latest estimates of benefits of the identity cards scheme which shows that the benefits outweigh the costs once the scheme is fully operational. In one area of Home Office business alone—the processing of Criminal Records Bureau disclosures—processing times could be cut from four weeks to three days.
	The cost of equipping Prison Service and other Home Office premises will depend on the nature of the use of the identity cards scheme and the type of identity check(s) necessary to deliver the business benefits.
	In some cases, benefits could be realised without the use of card readers and the cost of installing any readers needs to be considered alongside future plans to refresh or upgrade IT systems.
	As the design of the scheme matures, during and after the procurement exercise, so will our understanding of where the scheme will be of most benefit which will allow us to further refine our estimates of benefits and the costs of realising them.

Identity Cards

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment his Department has made of methods of fooling biometric readers using (a) thin laminate stuck to fingers for fingerprints and (b) contact lenses for iris recognition.

Andy Burnham: The Home Office has consulted biometrics experts, Communications and Electronic Security Group biometric spoofing and anti-fraud experts and scientific literature in our assessment of fooling biometric technologies and is working with these and other experts to address any risk. We are also in communication with other schemes that are now using biometrics with ID cards, to learn from their experiences.
	We are working on process methods to reduce the likelihood of fake biometrics being successful, for example selecting a random finger for verification, from those available, rather than using only one fingerprint on all occasions. This also gives flexibility around issues arising from short term damage to fingers, such as a cut.
	In enrolment situations the process would be supervised thereby reducing the risk of fraudulent use of biometrics. In verification situations, the individual would need to have obtained a stolen card as well as a copy of all of the fingerprints in order to attempt this exercise. Further process measures are being developed but in order to protect the integrity of the National Identity Register, it is not possible to disclose them.
	The systems proposed by the various manufacturers during procurement, to meet the scheme business requirements, will be rigorously tested to ensure risks from fake biometrics are adequately mitigated and allow the scheme to achieve official security accreditation.

Identity Cards

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects that the police facial images national database will be operational.

Charles Clarke: The facial images national database should be operational by December 2006.

Identity Cards

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library a copy of the business case for the facial images national database.

Charles Clarke: At present the outline business case for the facial images national database is commercially confidential. The Police Information Technology Unit (PITO) are currently working on the outline business case which may be made available soon after the tender process has been completed and a contract has been let.

Identity Cards

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the error rates of the identifiers proposed in the Government's identity card scheme.

Andy Burnham: Neither the technology for doing biometric checks or the implementation of that technology or the way in which different biometric checks may be combined together and with other checks has been finalised. These choices will affect the accuracy attainable from biometric checks and so a definitive answer is not possible at this point in time.
	The performance of one particular identifier or technology is not the key determinant. During enrolment in the scheme we will make a biometric check against all previously enrolled biometrics. Any matches with one particular biometric which may be 'false' would be resolved by other biometric matches or by inconsistencies with the information held about the applicant and the record against which it had been matched.

Identity Cards

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library a copy of the 30-minute questionnaire given to the sample of people interviewed for the identity cards trade off research, mentioned on page 3 of the interim report published on 28 June.

Andy Burnham: A copy of the questionnaires used with UK citizens and verification service users as part of the identity cards trade off research will be placed in the Library. A full report of the identity cards trade off research will be published in quarter three 2005.

Illegal Immigrants

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the number of illegal immigrants living in the UK.

Charles Clarke: No Government has ever been able to produce an accurate figure for the number of people who are in the country illegally. By its very nature it is impossible to quantify accurately, and that remains the case.
	Although it is impossible to determine accurately how many people are in the UK illegally the Home Office published a report which included an estimate of the size of the illegal migrant population in the UK in 2001. It should be noted that the report included an estimate, not an accurate or definitive figure.
	As mentioned in the report the only method to estimate the size of the unauthorised migrant population in the UK that currently can sensibly be applied is the residual method. As the method relies on data from the census of the population undertaken every 10 years, it is not possible to produce an estimate for a more recent year.
	A copy of the Research, Development and Statistics On-line report 29/05—Sizing the unauthorised (illegal) migrant population in the United Kingdom in 2001" can be found at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/notes/june_summaries.html.

National Identity Register

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what (a) quality of service level and (b) other measures of availability he plans to set for the National Identity Register.

Andy Burnham: We are currently in discussion with various organisations who would be potential users of the identity card scheme for identification and identity verification to determine their performance requirements, which will include service levels and levels of availability. However, no final decisions will be ready until the procurement process has commenced.

National Identity Register

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps will be taken to prevent confidential personal information from being (a) recorded under an individual's national identity registration number and (b) otherwise connected to that individual's record on the register, with particular reference to recording of attendance at particular hospitals and clinics.

Andy Burnham: holding answer 14 July 2005
	The purpose of the National Identity Registration Number is described in clause 2(5), which provides that
	An entry in the Register consisting of all the information recorded about an individual must be given a unique number, to be known as the National Identity Registration Number".
	The information which can be recorded is that allowed for under Schedule one of the Identity Cards Bill and the definition of registrable facts". Attendance at particular hospitals or clinics does not fall within the information which could be held on the Register.

National Identity Register

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for theHome Department what plans he has for limiting the use of the proposed National Identity Registration Number, or other identifying numbers established under the Identity Cards Bill, by (a) Government Departments, (b) executive agencies, (c) private sector organisations and (d) other bodies, including other Governments.

Andy Burnham: holding answer 14 July 2005
	The Government has made clear that the National Identity Registration Number would be a general identifier under the terms of Schedule one Part two, paragraph four of the Data Protection Act 1998 which states that:
	personal data which contain a general identifier falling within a description prescribed by the Secretary of State by order are not to be treated as processed fairly and lawfully unless they are processed in compliance with any conditions so prescribed in relation to general identifiers of that description".
	This means that the use of the number by other organisations would have to be specified in regulations.
	There is no provision for providing information to other Governments, including the National Identity Registration Number, except in the limited circumstances provided for in clause 20 relating to existing provisions in the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001. Any such provision of information is subject to restrictions, which means that the Secretary of State may veto the provision.

National Identity Register

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what failure rate levels would be assessed as unacceptable for biometrics to be used in the national identity card in relation to (a) failure to enrol, (b) false negatives in identification and (c) false positives in identification.

Andy Burnham: holding answer 14 July 2005
	The Home Office is currently in discussion with various organisations who would be potential users of the identity cards scheme for identification and identity verification. These discussions include what performance is acceptable from all forms of identification currently being considered—card, PIN and biometric identification. However no final conclusions regarding acceptable success or failure rate levels in the categories described, have been reached in these discussions.
	The performance of one particular identifier or technology is not the key determinant. During enrolment in the scheme we will make a biometric check against all previously enrolled biometrics. Any matches with one particular biometric which may be 'false' would be resolved by other biometric matches or by inconsistencies with the information held about the applicant and the record against which it had been matched.

National Identity Register

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the risks to the public including the risks of identity fraud, that might arise from widespread use of a single identifying number for each individual in the proposed national identity number system; and what safeguards he plans to introduce against possible risks.

Andy Burnham: holding answer 14 July 2005
	An extensive risk assessment of the use of a single identifying number has been conducted by experienced fraud and security experts. This has resulted in the selection of a new single identifying number that is unrelated to any number issued by the Government at the present time. However, due to the nature of the information involved in the assessment and in order to protect the integrity of the National Identity Register, no further details can be provided.Under the terms of Schedule one Part two, paragraph four of the Data Protection Act 1998 the use of the National Identity Registration Number by other organisations would have to be specified in regulations.

National Police Improvement Agency

John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for theHome Department when he expects to appoint the Chief Executive of the National Police Improvement Agency.

Charles Clarke: holding answer 18 July 2005
	The recruitment process is underway and I expect to be able to make an announcement in the autumn.

Parenting Orders

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many parenting orders have been made in each year since the order became available; and how many have been breached, broken down by local authority area.

Fiona Mactaggart: 284 parenting orders were made during the pilot phase between September 1998 and March 2000. 5,631 orders have been made since they became available throughout England and Wales on 1 June 2000. The Youth Justice Board collects details of parenting orders by youth offending team area and the latest available information is shown in table 1. This includes parenting orders of all kinds including those made in connection with attendance and behaviour at school. The latest available information about the number of parenting orders that have been breached, identified from data collected by courts and showing the issuing court rather than local authority area, is shown in table 2.
	
		Table 1: Parenting orders
		
			  April-March April– December 
			  2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 11 9 11 10 13 
			 Barnet 1 7 2 12 1 
			 Barnsley 8 9 7 31 22 
			 Bath and NE Somerset 6 1 3 4 3 
			 Bedfordshire 9 13 19 14 12 
			 Bexley 0 3 3 2 0 
			 Birmingham 0 10 9 26 46 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 0 0 4 0 0 
			 Blackpool 6 5 9 23 14 
			 Bolton 22 13 15 1 14 
			 Bournemouth and Poole 8 1 1 4 13 
			 Bracknell Forest 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Bradford and District 1 9 19 16 22 
			 Brent 1 0 2 6 6 
			 Bridgend 0 1 1 12 7 
			 Brighton and Hove 0 1 3 2 14 
			 Bristol 4 2 11 2 3 
			 Bromley 0 4 3 3 0 
			 Buckinghamshire 6 7 1 1 0 
			 Bury 2 3 5 7 3 
			 Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent 0 4 10 6 7 
			 Calderdale 6 9 22 5 3 
			 Cambridgeshire 0 1 4 1 4 
			 Camden 0 0 0 0 5 
			 Cardiff 0 1 3 2 5 
			 Carmarthenshire 0 1 6 4 4 
			 Cheshire 1 1 0 1 2 
			 City of Westminster 11 4 4 4 5 
			 Conwy and Denbighshire 5 2 4 1 3 
			 Cornwall 0 4 0 0 0 
			 Coventry 1 2 5 1 0 
			 Croydon 1 9 10 2 29 
			 Cumbria 8 4 11 5 10 
			 Darlington 8 7 7 12 10 
			 Derby City 0 1 2 1 3 
			 Derbyshire 17 7 5 7 6 
			 Devon 8 0 4 0 0 
			 Doncaster 6 0 2 4 4 
			 Dorset 0 8 2 2 5 
			 Dudley 0 0 3 10 4 
			 Durham County 9 9 6 3 21 
			 Ealing 3 7 6 1 4 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 3 6 4 5 9 
			 East Sussex 14 16 10 12 15 
			 Enfield 6 2 2 6 7 
			 Essex 10 8 27 16 17 
			 Flintshire — 3 0 2 0 
			 Flintshire and Wrexham(47) 3 4 — — — 
			 Gateshead 43 33 19 19 12 
			 Gloucestershire 0 1 10 0 0 
			 Greenwich 20 7 7 4 4 
			 Gwynedd and Mon 2 11 0 0 0 
			 Hackney 0 0 3 1 1 
			 Halton and Warrington 4 0 0 0 2 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 4 3 7 8 4 
			 Haringey 1 0 7 5 7 
			 Harrow 0 0 1 0 0 
			 Hartlepool 2 1 3 6 3 
			 Havering 4 3 3 4 3 
			 Hertfordshire 28 24 7 7 8 
			 Hillingdon 1 10 8 7 3 
			 Hounslow 0 0 0 0 2 
			 Islington 0 0 0 1 0 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 8 0 6 5 6 
			 Kent 14 29 18 15 28 
			 Kingston 11 5 3 1 1 
			 Kingston upon Hull 0 1 1 0 1 
			 Kirklees 4 16 13 18 9 
			 Knowsley 10 3 1 1 1 
			 Lambeth 2 13 16 16 23 
			 Lancashire 39 15 7 19 40 
			 Leeds 2 0 4 2 6 
			 Leicester City 21 46 50 29 18 
			 Leicestershire 1 4 15 6 2 
			 Lewisham 4 9 12 6 8 
			 Lincolnshire 4 2 4 2 2 
			 Liverpool 1 0 0 2 9 
			 Luton 5 2 6 1 1 
			 Manchester 41 2 18 12 15 
			 Medway 2 5 8 5 25 
			 Merthyr Tydfil 0 1 0 0 0 
			 Merton 8 3 2 0 16 
			 Mid Wales (Powys and Ceredigion) 1 1 0 2 1 
			 Milton Keynes 0 2 0 0 0 
			 NE Lincolnshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Neath Port Talbot 0 0 0 7 0 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 0 0 10 11 1 
			 Newham 3 12 1 4 1 
			 Newport 2 0 3 15 11 
			 Norfolk 13 29 28 0 1 
			 North Lincolnshire 1 1 1 0 1 
			 North Somerset 0 0 1 1 6 
			 North Tyneside 2 3 12 1 1 
			 North Yorkshire 16 1 15 8 8 
			 Northamptonshire 0 0 0 1 20 
			 Northumberland 0 1 2 2 6 
			 Nottingham City 4 5 4 5 11 
			 Nottinghamshire 8 4 4 4 0 
			 Oldham 9 6 9 0 0 
			 Oxfordshire 3 0 2 1 6 
			 Pembrokeshire 1 8 3 2 4 
			 Peterborough 9 21 13 11 17 
			 Plymouth 0 1 1 2 1 
			 Reading and Wokingham 7 0 3 5 3 
			 Redbridge 1 4 4 11 2 
			 Rhondda Cynon Taff 0 0 1 0 0 
			 Richmond upon Thames 0 9 4 3 7 
			 Rochdale 4 10 12 5 1 
			 Rotherham 0 0 9 1 0 
			 Salford 6 1 11 2 9 
			 Sandwell 1 17 5 5 3 
			 Sefton 4 0 1 1 1 
			 Sheffield 8 8 3 0 5 
			 Shropshire and Telford/Wrekin 11 15 3 7 5 
			 Slough 0 4 4 1 0 
			 Solihull 4 3 0 5 1 
			 Somerset 5 14 3 0 0 
			 South Gloucestershire 1 0 0 0 1 
			 South Tees 0 3 2 10 2 
			 South Tyneside 20 15 14 13 18 
			 Southend-on-Sea 5 22 6 8 14 
			 Southwark 29 11 18 37 6 
			 St. Helens 13 8 2 0 1 
			 Staffordshire 2 5 3 2 0 
			 Stockport 1 9 16 2 2 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 1 41 4 10 0 
			 Stoke on Trent 1 7 4 10 12 
			 Suffolk 19 36 14 33 29 
			 Sunderland 45 33 81 124 26 
			 Surrey 3 1 2 2 17 
			 Sutton 5 11 3 2 2 
			 Swansea 0 0 1 1 0 
			 Swindon 5 3 7 0 6 
			 Tameside 0 1 0 3 6 
			 Thurrock 5 9 2 2 2 
			 Torbay 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Torfaen and Monmouthshire 0 6 5 2 1 
			 Tower Hamlets and City of London 11 0 14 45 8 
			 Trafford 9 9 0 3 7 
			 Vale of Glamorgan 0 18 0 0 0 
			 Wakefield 10 5 0 1 5 
			 Walsall 2 2 8 3 2 
			 Waltham Forest 2 4 8 3 6 
			 Wandsworth 4 17 10 6 43 
			 Warwickshire 0 0 0 1 1 
			 Wessex 119 103 150 73 94 
			 West Berkshire 0 6 1 0 1 
			 West Sussex 2 10 35 32 22 
			 Wigan 26 146 2 12 22 
			 Wiltshire 3 0 3 5 0 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 0 3 0 1 0 
			 Wirral 2 1 14 4 2 
			 Wolverhampton 6 11 13 5 8 
			 Worcestershire and Herefordshire 12 6 9 13 23 
			 Wrexham — 5 2 10 2 
			 York 2 2 5 6 3 
			 Total 979 1,216 1,176 1,098 1,162 
			 Grant total 5,631 
		
	
	(47)Flintshire and Wrexham YOT was split into Flintshire YOT and Wrexham YOT during the financial year 2001–02 so orders are listed against Flintshire and Wrexham YOT, Flintshire YOT and Wrexham YOT.
	
		Table 2: Breach of parenting orders
		
			 Court Number of breaches 
		
		
			 2000  
			 Stockport 1 
			 Leeds 1 
			 Bolton 1 
			 Cardiff 1 
			 South East Hampshire 2 
			 Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale 1 
			 Oldham 1 
			 Luton and South Bedfordshire 2 
			 Carlisle and District 1 
			 Total 11 
			   
			 2001  
			 Wrexham Maelor (youth) 1 
			 Goole and Howdenshire 1 
			 Norwich 1 
			 Sutton 1 
			 Southampton 2 
			 St. Helens Division 1 
			 West Norfolk 2 
			 Luton and South Bedfordshire 1 
			 South Hampshire 1 
			 South Tyneside District 1 
			 South East Hampshire 2 
			 Total 14 
			   
			 2002  
			 Wrexham Maelor 2 
			 Sunderland (youth) 1 
			 Gwynedd 2 
			 Norwich 3 
			 Tynedale 1 
			 Walsall 1 
			 Bath and Wansdyke 2 
			 Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale 1 
			 Blackpool and Fylde 2 
			 Chester, Ellesmere Port and Neston 1 
			 Central Buckinghamshire 1 
			 Barnet 1 
			 Sunderland 2 
			 North East Essex 1 
			 Mansfield 1 
			 Doncaster 1 
			 Cambridge 1 
			 Total 24 
			   
			 2003  
			 South Tyneside 1 
			 Wigan and Leigh 1 
			 Northern Oxfordshire 2 
			 Blackpool and Fylde 3 
			 West London mg court 1 
			 North Tyneside (youth) 1 
			 Sunderland 1 
			 Hull and Holderness (youth) 1 
			 Sutton 1 
			 West Norfolk 1 
			 Sussex (Eastern) 1 
			 South East Essex 1 
			 Llanelli 1 
			 New Forest 1 
			 Total 17

Police (Sickness Absence)

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many days were lost through sick leave (a) per employee and (b) per officer in each police force in England and Wales in each year since 1997.

Charles Clarke: Information on working days lost is published in Police Performance Monitoring Reports.
	Data in these reports cover the period 2001–02 to 2003–04 and are available on the following website: http://www.policereform.gov.uk/psu/performance monitors.html.
	Data for 1999–2000 and 2000–01 can be found in the 2000–01 report of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary tables 10 and 11. This is available from the following: http://www.archive.official-documents.co.uk/document/hoffice/hc230/hmcreport.pdf.
	Data prior to 1999–2000 are not available centrally.

Prisons

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have committed suicide in prison since 1 January, broken down by (a) prison, (b) offence and (c) length of sentence; and how many were (i) under 21 years, (ii) 21 to 40 years, (iii)40 to 60 years and (iv) over 60 years.

Fiona Mactaggart: The information requested with respect to apparently self-inflicted deaths in prisons in England and Wales, one January—end 11 July 2005 is shown in the following tables:
	(a) Establishment:
	
		
			 Establishment Number of apparent self-inflicted deaths 
		
		
			 Gloucester 4 
			 Liverpool 4 
			 Altcourse 2 
			 Leicester 2 
			 Norwich 2 
			 Pentonville 2 
			 Reading 2 
			 Wandsworth 2 
			 Brinsford 1 
			 Bristol 1 
			 Brixton 1 
			 Chelmsford 1 
			 Dorchester 1 
			 Durham 1 
			 Eastwood Park 1 
			 Exeter 1 
			 Full Sutton 1 
			 Holme House 1 
			 Lancaster Farms 1 
			 Leeds 1 
			 Lowdham Grange 1 
			 New Hall 1 
			 Nottingham 1 
			 Preston 1 
			 Rye Hill 1 
			 Stoke Heath 1 
			 Swaleside 1 
			 Swansea 1 
			 Wakefield 1 
			 Weare 1 
			 Wymott 1 
			 Total 43 
		
	
	(b) Offence type:
	
		
			  Offence type Number of apparent self-inflicted deaths 
		
		
			 Violence against the Person 18 
			 Sexual Offences 4 
			 Burglary 4 
			 Robbery 6 
			 Theft and Handling 5 
			 Fraud and Forgery 1 
			 Drug Offences 1 
			 Other Criminal Offences 1 
			 Offences not recorded 1 
			 Arson and Criminal Damage 2 
			 Total 43 
		
	
	(c) Length of sentence:
	
		
			  Sentence length category Number of apparently self-inflicted deaths 
		
		
			 unsentenced 25 
			 >three months and }12 months 2 
			 >12 months and }18 months 1 
			 >18 months and }three years 1 
			 >three years and }5 years 2 
			 >five years and }10 years 5 
			 >10 years and <life 1 
			 life 6 
			 Total 43 
		
	
	(d) Age:
	
		
			  Age Category Number of apparently self-inflicted deaths 
		
		
			 Under 21 years 6 
			 21 years-39 years 26 
			 40 years-59 years 9 
			 Over 60 years 2 
			 Total 43

Prisons

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes have taken place in the level of illegal drug use in each prison in England and Wales in each of the past 10 years.

Fiona Mactaggart: The best measure of changes in drug misuse in prisons is provided by the random mandatory drug testing programme. Yearly percentage positive rates for each prison for the past ten years will be placed in the Library.

Prisons

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many instances at each prison members of the Independent Monitoring Board have disagreed with the outcome of a review of continued segregation in a prison segregation unit in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Fiona Mactaggart: This information is not held centrally.

Scanner Technology

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the contribution which QinetiQ's scanner technology could make to the anti-terrorism campaign.

Charles Clarke: Millimetre wave imaging is one of a number of technologies being evaluated by the police service and the Home Office Scientific Development Branch for detecting bombs and weapons carried under clothing. It relies on non-ionising radiation which is emitted by all objects in the environment or can be generated artificially (for indoor use).
	The underlying technology was developed with UK Government funding and devices have been deployed experimentally at an airport and operationally at channel ports, where they are used to detect stowaways in vehicles. QinetiQ's latest system will be evaluated as soon as it is available, probably in early August. The new device is smaller than the stowaway detection system and is designed to inspect individuals or groups of people. The image shows the surface of the body and objects under the clothing and needs to be interpreted by a trained operator.
	Millimetre wave imaging systems have clear capabilities in this area. However, like all explosives detection systems they need to be deployed as part of a planned security system which incorporates equipment, staff and procedures to interpret and deal with the information gathered by the equipment.

Sectors Based Scheme Review

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 23 June 2005, Official Report, column 47WS, on Sectors Based Scheme Review, how many work permits were issued under the scheme in respect of Bangladesh; how many persons named in work permits were granted entry clearance; how many appeals against refusals have been heard to date; how many were successful; what consultation with Bangladeshi stakeholders took place in reviewing the scheme; if he will publish the results of the review of the scheme; what evidence has been disclosed as to abuse of the scheme; and what proposals he has for a substitute for the scheme before a new points system is introduced.

Tony McNulty: 8,761 Sectors Based Scheme (SBS) work permits have been issued to Bangladeshi nationals since the scheme was introduced on 31 May 2003, of which 8,157 were issued for work in the hospitality sector and 604 for the food manufacturing sector. To date, 3,023 Bangladeshi nationals issued with SBS permits have been granted entry clearance.
	We are unable to provide figures as to how many appeals against refusals to grant entry clearance have been heard to date and how many were successful due to the disproportional cost that would be incurred in obtaining this information.
	The recent review of the SBS involved both the distribution of a review questionnaire to employers in the sector to assess the effectiveness of the scheme, and face-to-face interviews with key representatives. Over 200 responses were received to the questionnaire from employers in the Indian restaurant trade, and a meeting at official level was held with the Bangladeshi Caterers Association on 29 September 2004.
	The findings of the review of the Scheme, including evidence of abuse of the Scheme, were published on the Home Office website on 30 June 2005. The Government published its Five-Year Strategy for Asylum and Immigration on 7 February 2005.
	This contained a commitment to phase out the existing low-skilled schemes, such as SBS, in light of the additional labour now accessible from the new accession states. The five year strategy contains a commitment to introduce small tightly managed quota based schemes, where there are identifiable needs that are not being met by workers from the expanded ED workforce. We will undertake further consultations with representatives from the hospitality sector in due course.

Secure Training Centres

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much has been paid by (a) his Department and (b) the Youth Justice Board to each of the contractors running secure training centres in each financial year of their operation.

Charles Clarke: holding answer 11 July 2005
	During the period for which information is available, the following sums were paid by the Youth Justice Board:
	
		Sums paid to secure training centre contractors -- £
		
			  2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 Medway(48) 8,163,295 11,457,209 11,770,212 
			 Rainsbrook(49) 8,530,938 9,684,21 1 9,830,808 
			 Hassockfield 5,309,844 5,490,488 5,508,766 
			 Oakhill — — 7,241,944 
		
	
	(48)Medway increased from 44 beds to 76 in November 2002
	(49)Rainsbrook increased from 44 beds to 76 in June 2002

Sexual Offences Act

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been prosecuted under section (a) 30 and (b) 38 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003; and how many prosecutions were successful in each case.

Fiona Mactaggart: Offences under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, including sections 30 and 38, came into force on 1 May 2004. Statistics of court proceedings for 2004 will be published in the autumn.

Uninsured Drivers

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he plans to take to reduce the number of uninsured drivers.

Paul Goggins: We have introduced in the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 a specific power for the police to seize immediately any vehicle driven by someone who is uninsured. Release of the vehicle is subject to the payment of prescribed charges and the production of a valid insurance certificate; otherwise the vehicle will be disposed of by the police. This power came into effect on 6 July 2005.
	We also introduced in the same Act provisions to improve police access to the Motor Insurance Database (MID). These will make available to the police information about vehicles the use of which has been but is no longer covered by insurance and so enhance their ability to check an individual driver's status. The police use of this new facility, particularly in conjunction with automatic number plate recognition technology, should significantly improve their detection capability and help reduce the number of uninsured drivers.

Victims of Crime

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list organisations which have received funding from the Victims Fund to develop community-based services for victims of sexual crime, broken down by amount.

Fiona Mactaggart: A list of the organisations and amounts awarded from the Victims Fund in 2004–05 and 2005–06 will be published on the Government funding website in due course, in accordance with established best practice under the compact. Details of the successful organisations are set out in the following table.
	
		Victims Fund: Provision for victims of sexual offending -- £
		
			 Successful applicant organisations (second round: 2005–06)  
		
		
			 Barnardo's (Ilford) 35,000 
			 Barnsley Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Helpline 40,000 
			 Birmingham Women's Aid 35,000 
			 Breaking Free (National) 30,000 
			 Choices (Cambridge and Suffolk) 26,475 
			 CIS'ters (National) 40,000 
			 Colchester Rape Crisis Line 35,000 
			 Cornwall Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre 36,110 
			 Crisis Point (Walsall) 34,000 
			 Devon Youth Association 25,000 
			 Doncaster Rape and Sexual Abuse Counselling Centre 36,150 
			 East Kent Rape Line 35,000 
			 East Surrey Domestic Violence Forum 14,480 
			 Eaves Housing for Women (The Lilith Project) 39,018 
			 Family Matters (Kent) 35,000 
			 Grimsby and Scunthorpe Rape Crisis 24,405 
			 ISAS—Incest and Sexual Abuse Survivors  (Nottinghamshire) 30,000 
			 The Jigsaw Project (Lincolnshire) 30,000 
			 Kinergy (Bristol) 35,000 
			 Life centre (Chichester) 30,000 
			 The Magdalene Project (Lancashire) 34,500 
			 Manchester Rape Crisis 30,000 
			 Male Abuse Recovery Service (Peterborough) 9,300 
			 Merseyside Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre 22,500 
			 National Association for People Abused in Childhood  (NAPAC) 15,000 
			 NCH Cymru (Conwy) 40,000 
			 New Pathways (Merthyr Tydfil) 25,000 
			 The Nia Project (London) 35,000 
			 Northampton Women's Aid 30,000 
			 Northumbria Police (Operation Phoenix) 35,000 
			 Nottingham Rape Crisis 26,515 
			 One in Four (London) 30,000 
			 The Place2Be (National) 20,065 
			 The Quetzal Project (Leicestershire) 35,000 
			 Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (Guildford) 40,000 
			 Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (Warrington) 40,000 
			 Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (Warrington) 35,000 
			 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre (Croydon) 40,000 
			 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre (North West  Wales) 35,000 
			 Rape and Sexual Violence Project (Birmingham) 40,000 
			 The Rape Crisis Co-ordination .Group (National) 30,800 
			 Reigate and Redhill YMCA 35,000 
			 Respond (London) 25,000 
			 Rights of Women (National) 4,000 
			 SEREN (Aberystwyth) 20,990 
			 Sheffield Women's Counselling and Therapy Service 35,840 
			 Southampton Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse  Counselling Service 35,000 
			 South Essex Rape and Incest Crisis Centre 30,000 
			 Streetreach (Doncaster) 30,000 
			 Step Forward (London 30,000 
			 Survivors (Hull and East Riding) 35,000 
			 Survivors Network (Brighton) 26,339 
			 The Survivors Trust (National) 40,000 
			 Survivors UK (National) 40,000 
			 Twelve's Company (Plymouth) 23,707 
			 West Cumbria Rape Crisis 35,000 
			 Women and Girls Network (London) 35,000 
			 Women's Counselling Service (Hounslow) 33,360 
			 Women's Counselling and Therapy Service (Leeds) 27,435 
			 Women's Rape and Sexual Violence Service (Hanley) 35,000 
			 Women's Support Network (Middlesbrough) 35,000 
			 Worcestershire Rape and Sexual Abuse Support  Centre 24,142 
			   
			 Successful applicant organisations (second round: 2004–05) 
			 Barnardo's (Ilford) 2,701 
			 Breaking Free (National) 10,284 
			 CIS'ters (National) 23,350 
			 Colchester Rape Crisis Line 35,450 
			 Cornwall Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre 8,120 
			 Coventry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre 4,910 
			 Devon Youth Association 4,200 
			 Doncaster Rape and Sexual Abuse Counselling Centre 3,066 
			 East Kent Rape Line 9,688 
			 East Surrey Domestic Violence Forum 2,500 
			 Eaves Housing for Women (The Lilith Project) 14,329 
			 Family Matters (Kent) 5,752 
			 Grimsby and Scunthorpe Rape Crisis 6,102 
			 HEAL—Helping Everyone Abuse Live (Colchester) 10,286 
			 The Jigsaw Project (Lincolnshire) 9,975 
			 Merseyside Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre 12,672 
			 National Association for People Abused in Childhood  (NAPAC) 15,000 
			 NCH Cymru (Conwy) 8,300 
			 New Pathways (Merthyr Tydfil) 16,500 
			 The Nia Project (London) 8,960 
			 Northampton Women's Aid 12,502 
			 Northumbria Police (Operation Phoenix) 20,000 
			 One in Four (London) 24,993 
			 The Place2Be (National) 6,435 
			 The Quetzal Project (Leicestershire) 46,000 
			 Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (Warrington) 5,995 
			 Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (Warrington) 7,745 
			 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre (Croydon) 27,080 
			 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre (North West  Wales) 7,685 
			 Rape and Sexual Violence Project (Birmingham) 12,500 
			 The Rape Crisis Co-ordination Group (National) 18,200 
			 Reigate and Redhill YMCA 10,476 
			 Respond (London) 6,250 
			 Rights of Women (National) 21,000 
			 Sexual and Domestic Abuse and Rape Advice Centre  (Staffordshire) 18,036 
			 Sheffield Women's Counselling and Therapy Service 12,500 
			 Southampton Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse  Counselling Service 3,700 
			 South Essex Rape and Incest Crisis Centre 31,520 
			 Step Forward (London) 10,907 
			 The Survivors Trust (National) 32,800 
			 Survivors UK (National) 24,600 
			 Women and Girls Network (London) 31,700 
			 Women's Counselling Service (Hounslow) 2,000 
			 Women's Counselling and Therapy Service (Leeds) 670 
			 Women's Support Network (Middlesbrough) 19,450 
			 Worcestershire Rape and Sexual Abuse Support  Centre 23,439

Victims of Crime

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he plans to publish the responses to the consultation on the Victim's Code of Practice.

Fiona Mactaggart: Consultation on the draft Victims' Code of Practice ended on 30 May 2005. A summary of the responses received will be published in August and the final Victims' Code of Practice will be laid before Parliament in October.

Work-related Stress

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of work-related stress have been reported in his Department in each of the last three years; how much compensation was paid to employees in each year; how many work days were lost due to work-related stress in each year; at what cost; what procedures have been put in place to reduce work-related stress; at what cost; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Clarke: There is no requirement for departments to keep separate records of the number of days lost or the number of cases of work related stress and while the Home Office records sickness absence due to stress or anxiety it is not possible to state what percentage of these absences may be due specifically to work related stress. For this reason the information requested relating to the number of work days lost, and the cost of this cannot be provided.
	Where the Health and Welfare Service in the Home Office and the Staff Care and Welfare Service (SCWS) in the Prison Service record information on staff who self refer to them reporting work related stress or where this is a factor this information has been provided.
	In the Home Office the number of interviews undertaken by the Health and Welfare Service over the last three years where work related stress has been cited as a factor as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 2002–03 747 
			 2003–04 817 
			 2004–05 1,091 
		
	
	These figures cover staff in the Home Office, United Kingdom Passport Service (UKPS) and the Forensic Science Service. It should also be noted that the figures may include multiple interviews with the same member of staff.
	In the Prison Service figures for the last three years where staff have contacted SCWS reporting work related stress are:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 2002 623 
			 2003 542 
			 2004 586 
			 2005 (year to date) 245 
		
	
	There have been no compensation payments made to current employees or former employees of the Home Office or any of its agencies as a result of work related stress over the last three years.
	The Home Office and its agencies have a range of measures in place to reduce work related stress and to provide guidance, practical assistance and support to staff where it may arise.
	These measures include the a clear statement of departmental values; provision of a range of work-life balance policies and practices, including flexible working, special leave and child care support; managing attendance; training to ensure that all staff have the right skills and competences to do their jobs; and comprehensive policies to tackle bullying, harassment and discrimination.
	As the range and nature of the measures in place to reduce work related stress varies it is not possible to provide the costs except at disproportionate cost.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Access to Work Scheme

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what assessment has been made of the (a) effectiveness and (b) effects of the Access to Work scheme;
	(2)  how much has been spent in each of the last five years promoting Access to Work.

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many people have made use of Access to Work in each of the past five years;
	(2)  what the cost of the Access to Work scheme has been in each of the last five years;
	(3)  how much the Department has spent advertising Access to Work in each of the last five years.

Anne McGuire: Access to Work provides practical advice and support aimed at overcoming work-related obstacles resulting from disability. It does this through a system of grants towards the cost of providing support. Types of help available include the additional costs in travelling to work; providing human intervention support in the workplace; adapting work premises, and providing special aids and equipment in the workplace. Access to Work is open to those who are employed as well as people moving out of unemployment and is a highly effective job retention measure.
	A report published in June 2004 by the Disability Employment Coalition 'Access to Work for Disabled People', found that for every pound spent, the Exchequer recouped £1.48 in additional revenue. This report is available in the Library.
	In an internal study published in September 2002, 'Evaluating the Impact of Access to Work: A Case Study Approach' report reference WAE 138, clear evidence was demonstrated that Access to Work helps people retain a specific job that they would otherwise have lost. This report is also available in the Library.
	In the last five years we have invested around £300,000 a year in marketing and publicising our disability services and programmes. As Access to Work represents an integral part of this, separate information on Access to Work promotional costs is not available.
	Promotional material is available for employers and disabled people in a wide range of media including leaflets, audiotapes and videos as well as on the Jobcentre Plus website. A new suite of leaflets about Access to Work has also recently been produced for promotion at conferences and exhibitions.
	Our Disability Employment Advisers regularly meet local employers to promote the full range of disability services, including Access to Work, and information on Access to Work is also available to individuals and employers through our Access to Work Advisers. Many disability organisations actively promote Access to Work and some include information about Access to Work on their web pages, which we regularly quality assure.
	Information on spend on the Access to Work programme in the last five years is in the following table:
	
		Access to Work spend
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 1999–2000 24.4 
			 2000–01 32.5 
			 2001–02 42.5 
			 2002–03 50.3 
			 2003–04 56 
		
	
	Source:
	DWP Disability and Rehabilitation Division
	Information on the number of people helped by Access to Work in each of the last five years is in the following table:
	
		Number of people helped by Access to Work in the last five years
		
			  Beneficiaries 
			  New Existing Total 
		
		
			 1999–2000 9,786 10,943 20,729 
			 2000–01 12,318 13,569 25,887 
			 2001–02 13,137 19,661 32,798 
			 2002–03 15,199 21,407 36,606 
			 2003–04 15,433 19,411 34,844 
		
	
	Note.
	New beneficiaries are people who receive Access to Work assistance for the first time ever within the financial year. Existing beneficiaries are people who received Access to Work assistance in a previous financial year, and continue to receive financial support.
	Source:
	Jobcentre Plus internal Management Information.

Access to Work Scheme

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much money has been spent on publicising the Access to Work scheme in 2004–05; and what the budget for promoting the scheme in 2005–06 is.

Anne McGuire: In 2004–05, we allocated around £300,000 for marketing and publicising our disability services and programmes, including access to work. The same amount has been allocated for 2005–06. Information is not yet available for costs incurred in promoting our disability services and programmes in 2004–05. Separate information on access to work promotional costs is not available.

Administrative Costs

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent estimates he has made of the administrative cost of delivering (a) pension credit, (b) retirement pension and (c) child benefit for a period of one year, calculated on the same basis as that used by the Department to inform paragraph 13 of the Committee of Public Accounts Twelfth Report of Session 2002–03, Tackling Pension Poverty: Encouraging Take-up of Entitlements.

James Plaskitt: Information is not currently available in the format requested. We expect information on administration costs to be available after our new suite of resource management systems is introduced in early 2006. Preliminary work will provide some data in the autumn of this year. In the meantime, the department's administration costs are set out by individual request for resources (RfR) in the departmental resource accounts, copies of which are placed in the Library.

Administrative Costs

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his latest estimate is of the (a) administrative and (b) total costs in a year of (i) the winter fuel payment, (ii) free television licences for the over 75s, (iii) the pensioner Christmas bonus and (iv) the age-related pension top-up at age 80; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: Information on administrative costs is not currently available in the format requested. We expect information on administration costs to be available after our new suite of Resource Management systems is introduced in late 2005 and early 2006. In the meantime, the Department's administrations costs are set out, by individual Request for Resources (RfR), in the Departmental Resource Account for 2003–04, a copy of which was placed in the Library.
	The 2003–04 outturn figures for total expenditure in cash terms are in the following table:
	
		
			  Cost (£ million) 
		
		
			 Winter fuel payments 1,935 
			 TV licences 405 
			 Christmas bonus 123 
			 Non-contributory state pension 30 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are for GB—but see note 2.
	2. TV licence payments figure has been corrected since Budget 2005 and includes Northern Ireland expenditure.
	3. Christmas bonus figure reflects contribution-based expenditure and includes expenditure on children and people of working age.
	4. A non-contributory state pension (a Category D Pension) is paid to those from age 80 who are getting no state pension or a state pension that is lower than the level of a Category D Pension—£46.35 in 2003–04.
	5. Benefit expenditure figures are consistent with Budget 2005.
	Source:
	DWP Forecasting Division's Expenditure Table 1. This table can also be found on the internet at: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/expenditure.asp

Administrative Costs

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his latest estimate is of the annual cost tohis Department of administering the (a) state pension and (b) pension credit; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: Information is not currently available in the format requested. We expect information on administration costs for state pension and pension credit to be available after our new suite of Resource Management systems is introduced in The Pension Service in early 2006. Preliminary work will provide some data in the autumn of this year. In the meantime, the department's administration costs are set out by individual Request for Resources (RfR) in the Departmental Resource Accounts, copies of which are placed in the Library.

Benefit Fraud Hotline

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Workand Pensions how many calls have been made in each year to the benefit fraud hotline since the service started.

James Plaskitt: Information regarding calls made to the National Benefit Fraud Hotline has only been available from April 2004. Between April 2004 and March 2005, 278,513 calls were made. However, available information regarding the number of calls actually answered from 1997 is in the table.
	
		Calls answered by the National Benefit Fraud Hotline
		
			 April to March Number 
		
		
			 1997–98 188,038 
			 1998–99 170,032 
			 1999–2000 162,067 
			 2000–01 208,201 
			 2001–02 205,999 
			 2002–03 159,290 
			 2003–04 211,054 
			 2004–05 199,004 
		
	
	Note:
	Information not held prior to April 1997.
	Source:
	National Benefit Fraud Hotline

Benefits Payment

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer given on 20 June 2005, Official Report, column 707W, on Benefits/Pensions (Payments Methods), if he will place Post Office Ltd.'s 'Operation Focus' publication in the Library.

James Plaskitt: The Department for Work and Pensions has no involvement in the 'Operational Focus'. The publication is owned by Post Office Ltd.

Carers

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the national insurance contributions towards a basic state pension of a person who cares for an elderly or a sick relative for less than 35 hours per week but because of their caring responsibilities cannot work.

James Plaskitt: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave her on 27 June 2005, Official Report, columns 1256–57W.

Child Support Agency

Jimmy Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much funding has been allocated to the child maintenance scheme for 2005 in (a) the UK and (b) Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The Child Support Agency has funding of £323 million for 2005–06 to undertake the administration of its UK operations. The funding is allocated to the Agency's two territories and within that to the six child support centres, headquarters and support locations. Each child support centre covers a wide geographical area and none is specific to Scotland.

Child Support Agency

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) parents with care, (b) non-resident parents and (c) children included in Child Support Agency maintenance assessments there are in each parliamentary constituency; what proportion of each group are new scheme cases, broken down by parliamentary constituency; and what proportion of parents with care receive income support or jobseeker's allowance, broken down by parliamentary constituency.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Mr. Stephen Geraghty. He will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Stephen Geraghty to Mr. David Laws, dated 18 July 2005
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) parents with care (b) non-resident parents and (c) children included in Child Support Agency maintenance assessments there are in each parliamentary constituency; what proportion of each group are new scheme cases broken down by parliamentary constituency; and what proportion of parents with care receive income support or jobseeker's allowance broken down by parliamentary constituency.
	At May 2005 there were around 262,500 old scheme cases held on the new computer system. I am not currently able to provide the information you are seeking in relation to these cases because of system limitations. However, I expect to be in a position to do so by this Autumn. In addition, at May 2005, there were a further 12,000 new scheme cases being progressed clerically for which I am unable to break down the information as requested.
	I am sorry that I could not be more helpful at this time.

Child Support Agency

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the members of the Child Support Agency's management board since 2001; when each became a member; and what the reasons for each leaving the board were.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Stephen Geraghty. He will write to the hon. Member with the requested information.
	Letter from Stephen Geraghty to Mr. David Laws, dated 19 July 2005
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will list the members of the Child Support Agency's management board since 2001; when each became a member; and what the reasons for each leaving the board were.
	I have listed below the executive and non-executive members of the CSA management board since 2001 in order of appointment, providing reasons for leaving where appropriate.
	
		
		
			  Appointment Reason for leaving 
		
		
			 Executive members 
			 Mick Davison September 1995 to January 2003 Moved to a new role within DWP 
			 Mike Isaac April 1996 to present — 
			 Gerry Keenan November 1998 to January 2004 Moved to a new role within the Department for Social Development in Northern Ireland 
			 Vince Gaskell November 1999 to August 2003 Left DWP 
			 Paul Hedley January 2000 to May 2002 Moved to a new role within DWP 
			 Marietta Di Ciacca February 2000 to January 2001 Moved to a new role within DWP 
			 Doug Smith September 2000 to April 2005 Retired 
			 Helen Ghosh November 2000 to August 2001 Left DWP 
			 Elaine Fox November 2000 to present — 
			 Mark Neale November 2001 to November 2003 Left DWP 
			 Deb Chakravarty October 2002 to September 2003 Left DWP 
			 Jim Edgar January 2003 to present — 
			 John Oliver June 2003 to October 2004 Moved to new role within DWP 
			 Michael Foley October 2003 to March 2005 Secondment ended 
			 Sheila Bird October 2003 to October 2004 Secondment ended 
			 Marilyn Stirling November 2003 to May 2004 Contract ended 
			 Shirley Trundle November 2003 to present — 
			 Barney McGahan January 2004 to present — 
			 Ron Eagle June 2004 to present — 
			 Mark Grimshaw January 2005 to present — 
			 Stephen Geraghty April 2005 to present — Non executive team members 
			 Marjorie Brown MBE January 1999 to June 2002 Contract expired 
			 Clare Dodgson February 1999 to September 2001 Moved to a new role 
			 Mary Hay May 2002 to present — 
			 Dorit Braun September 2002 to December 2004 Resigned 
			 Barbara Moorhouse February 2003 to present — 
			 John Cross July 2003 to present — 
		
	
	I hope you find this helpful.

Child Support Agency

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff are employed in each Child Support Agency business unit; how many are assigned to (a) front end functions, (b) enforcement and (c) complaints; and what proportion of Agency staff each represents.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Stephen Geraghty. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Mike Isaac to Mr. David Laws, dated 19 July 2005
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive. As he is currently on leave I am replying on his behalf.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff are employed in each Child Support Agency business unit; how many are assigned to (a) front end functions (b) enforcement and (c) complaints; and what proportion of Agency staff each represents.
	As at April 05 the Agency has 9,795 staff (whole time equivalent employees). The information you requested is in the tables. Note these figures do not include staff employed in Northern Ireland.
	
		Number of CSA staff employed in each business unit
		
			 Business units Frontline staff Total staff 
		
		
			 Northern territory 2,917 3,392 
			 Southern territory 3,186 3,793 
			 Eastern territory (Great Britain) 518 575 
			 Enforcement 271 294 
			 National helpline 430 446 
			 HQ and support services — 1,295 
			 Agency total 7,322 9,795 
		
	
	Source:
	April 05 Capacity Report and Dataview Disc
	
		Number and proportion of total CSA staff employed in frontline functions, enforcement and complaints
		
			  Number of staff Proportion (percentage) 
		
		
			 Frontline functions 7,322 75 
			 Enforcement 271 3 
			 Complaints 678 7 
		
	
	Source:
	April 2005 Capacity Report
	I hope you find this useful.

Child Support Agency

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  if he will place in the Library a copy of the Child Support Agency's aftercare policy;
	(2)  if he will place a copy of the Child Support Agency's aftercare policy statement in the Library.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Stephen Geraghty. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Mike Isaac to Mr. David Laws, dated 19 July 2005
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions on whether a copy of the Child Support Agency's aftercare policy will be placed in the Library. As he is currently on leave I am responding on his behalf.
	There is a standard aftercare policy currently in operation for Independent Case Examiner complaints. The process is explained to the customer in the report they receive from the Independent Case Examiner and reads as follows:
	'The [Child Support] Centre has agreed to monitor your case as part of the Agency's aftercare process. This means that within six weeks of the date of this report, the Centre will conduct a check of the case to ensure that there are no new or outstanding issues. If appropriate, you may be contacted by the Agency to give you up to date information about your case and to discuss any concerns you may have.'
	We are currently looking at providing a consistent aftercare policy to cover all complaints made to the Agency, which will include Member of Parliament and ministerial correspondence complaints. I will make this policy available in the Library once it has been agreed and implemented.
	I hope this is helpful.

Child Support Agency

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what information the Child Support Agency's Sapphire database contains; and what Sapphire payments are.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Stephen Geraghty. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Mike Isaac to Mr. David Laws, dated 19 July 2005
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive. As he is currently on leave I am responding on his behalf.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information the Child Support Agency's Sapphire database contains; and what Sapphire payments are.
	The Agency manages a clerical database which is a stand-alone IT system and is used to control cases that we can no longer progress on the mainframe CSCS or CS2 computer systems. This database was originally managed by a group of staff referred to as the Sapphire Team. We no longer use this term.
	The database contains the following information:
	Details of person with care and non-resident parent
	Payments made to parent with care
	Payments made to Secretary of State
	Methods of collection and methods of payment
	Schedules of collections and payments
	The database helps to maintain clerical payments, which are currently issued through two processing centres. The Client Funds Account team in Longbenton receive the payments. Two processing centres in Cumnock and Stockport ensure the money is paid out to the person with care or Secretary of State.
	I hope you find this answer useful.

Child Support Agency

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the purpose of the Child Support Agency's War Room.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Mr. Stephen Geraghty. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Mike Isaac to Mr. David Laws, dated 19 July 2005
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive. As he is currently on leave I am responding on his behalf.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make a statement on the purpose of the Child Support Agency's War Room.
	War Room" is an informal term used by many organisations to identify meetings held to discuss subjects of high importance and/or great complexity. This is also true for the Child Support Agency.
	I hope you find this reply helpful.

Child Support Agency

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what action was taken following the recommendation by the Child Support Agency's internal audit to prevent staff manipulating their workflow to allow them to select cases which require minimum processing effort.

James Plaskitt: The immediate response to the internal audit recommendation was to separate backlog work from new work, and deal with each stream separately. This solution is now giving way to an IT solution. The IT solution will restrict the ability to re-allocate work, so that only team leaders can do this.

Child Support Agency

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the Child Support Agency's identified risks over the last four years; and what the failed (a) level and (b) nature of each was.

James Plaskitt: Disclosure of this information would be likely to prejudice the effective management of the identified risks and would be likely to inhibit the free and frank provision of advice in these areas.

Child Support Agency

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to reform the Child Support Agency; and if he will make a statement

James Plaskitt: holding answer 5 July 2005
	The problems surrounding the Child Support Agency are well known. We have recently appointed a new Chief Executive and as a priority have asked him to carry out a wide ranging review of the agency's operations and structures.
	He will be reporting his findings to us in the next few months setting out his proposals to improve the agency's performance.

Disability Discrimination Act

Roger Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he plans to announce his Department's response to the consultation on the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 Regulations as they affect people with a cancer diagnosis.

Anne McGuire: This consultation document (Cm6402) was published on 16 December 2004 and covered a wide range of issues, including proposals on the use of a regulation-making power to exclude certain cancers (mainly minor skin cancers) from the scope of the extended definition of disability in the Disability Discrimination Bill, now the Disability Discrimination Act 2005. The formal consultation ended on 18 March.
	During consideration of the Disability Discrimination Bill in the House of Lords, the Government undertook not to use the cancer regulation-making power until it had reviewed in consultation with the Disability Rights Commission and cancer organisations, evidence relating to disability discrimination in respect of cancers not likely to require substantial treatment. This exercise supplemented the public consultation and was carried out in April and May. We are considering the outcomes of both these exercises and expect to be in a position to publish the results shortly.

Disability Premium

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many single claimants aged (a) less than 25 years and (b) 25 years and older are in receipt of (i) disability premium, (ii) enhanced disability premium and (iii) severe disability premium.

Anne McGuire: The information is in the table.
	
		Single claimants of income support (IS), income-based jobseekers allowance(JSA), housing benefit (HB) and council tax benefit (CTB) by age and receipt of type of disability premium, Great Britain, May 2003
		
			  Disability premium (DP) Severe disability premium (SDP) Enhanced disability premium (EDP) Claimants with one or more of DP, SDP or EDP 
		
		
			 All single claimants 1,030,000 670,000 110,000 1,530,000 
			 Those under 25 70,000 10,000 10,000 70,000 
			 Those 25 and over 960,000 660,000 100,000 1,450,000 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Due to the estimation procedure to produce the figures for housing benefit and council tax benefit and the collection procedures in Scotland, figures are rounded to the nearest 10 thousand.
	2. Totals may not sum due to the estimation process involved in producing the figures.
	3. Overlaps between the benefits have been removed, however there will be overlaps in the figures as it is possible to be in receipt of more than one of the premiums listed.
	4. Council tax benefit cases exclude any second adult rebate cases.
	5. Housing benefit cases exclude extended payment cases.
	Sources:
	1. Housing benefit and council tax benefit management information system, annual 1 per cent. sample, taken in May 2003.
	2. Income support and jobseekers allowance: Information Directorate, 5 per cent. samples

Housing Allowance/Benefit

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the implications of using different IT systems to process housing benefit in the local housing allowance pilot areas for the administration of the system.

James Plaskitt: It is the responsibility of each local authority to review the performance of their information technology supplier. The Department has not made an assessment of the implications of using different IT systems to process housing benefit in the local housing allowance pilot areas.

Housing Allowance/Benefit

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the single housing benefit form HBRR1 is (a) included in all rapid claim packs and (b) applicable in every local authority.

James Plaskitt: The housing benefit form HBRR1 is included in all rapid reclaim packs for income support and jobseeker's allowance. These packs are issued nationally by Jobcentre Plus and cover all local authorities.

Housing Allowance/Benefit

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what effect the introduction of local housing allowances has had on the level of fraud in relation to housing benefit in the pathfinder areas; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The information requested is not available.
	We are continuing to evaluate the local housing allowance (LHA) with the pathfinder areas. We are not yet in a position to estimate the impact of the LHA on the level of fraud or overpayments.

Housing Allowance/Benefit

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the (a) initial and (b) projected cost of setting up the local housing allowance scheme in the nine pathfinder areas is, broken down by (i) benefit payments and (ii) IT expenditure.

James Plaskitt: The total administrative costs of the local housing allowance pathfinders in 2003–04 and 2004–05 were £6.1 million. Of this, £1.4 million covered IT expenditure. Administrative funding for 2005–06 is estimated at £2.75 million, none of which is earmarked for IT costs.
	Benefit expenditure is estimated to be £23 million in 2004–05, although this does not represent full year costs for all nine pathfinders as not all of them had fully converted their caseload at the start of the year, and £32.5 million in 2005–06.

Housing Allowance/Benefit

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what performance standards for local authority administration of housing benefit have been introduced since 1997; and how many local authorities have met these performance targets since they were introduced.

James Plaskitt: The Performance Standards were first launched in March 2002 to set out clearly for the first time the standards of service that local authorities should be aiming to deliver. The standards described what needed to be done to administer housing benefit effectively and securely, and addressed all aspects of administration.
	The Performance Standards were reviewed in 2004 and a revised publication was issued in March 2005, based on a significantly reduced set of standards to reduce the burden of self-assessment for all 408 local authorities.
	The information is in the table.
	
		Number of authorities meeting the standards for processing claims to benefit in each of the years shown
		
			 Performance standard: 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 Number of local authorities recording new claim processing times of 36 days or less 119 135 202 
			 Number of local authorities deciding on 90 per cent. of claims or more within 14 days 73 63 109 
			 Number of local authorities recording change of circumstances processing times of nine days or less 138 168 191 
		
	
	Source:
	Local Authority submitted data.

Housing Allowance/Benefit

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many appeals have been made against housing benefit decisions in each year since 1997; and in what proportion of cases the appeal was decided in favour of the appellant.

Anne McGuire: This is a matter for Christina Townsend, chief executive of the Appeals Service. She will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Phil Teece to Mr. Paul Goodman, dated 18 July 2005:
	The Secretary of State has asked Christina Townsend, Chief Executive, to reply to your question regarding how many appeals have been made against Housing Benefit decisions in each year since 1997; and in what proportion of cases the appeal was decided in favour of the appellant. Christina is away from the office at the moment and I have been asked to reply.
	The information you have asked for is not available in the format requested as the Appeals Service only assumed responsibility for Housing Benefit appeals from July 2001. The table below, therefore, only shows the number of appeals made against Housing Benefit decisions from 2001 and in what proportion of cases the appeal was decided in favour of the appellant.
	
		Housing Benefit Appeals Found in Favour of the Appellant
		
			  Lodged Cleared in Favour % Cleared in Favour 
		
		
			 Apr 01–Mar 02 3,940 305 7.71% 
			 Apr 02–Mar 03 4,170 700 16.75% 
			 Apr 03–Mar 04 4,180 645 15.38% 
			 Apr 04–Mar 05 3,900 750 19.27% 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. All figures are subject to change as more up to date data becomes available.
	2. Figures for the latest months will rise significantly as information feeds through to the Appeals Service.
	3. Figures are rounded to the nearest five.
	4. Lodged" denotes the number of reconsiderations submitted to the first tire agency. Lodged data only enters the GAPS database when the Appeal reaches the Appeals Service.
	5. The appeals service only started dealing with housing benefit appeals in July 2001.
	6. The totals apply to Housing Benefit appeals only and not combined Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit appeals.
	Source:
	100% download of the Generic Appeals Processing System.
	I hope this reply is helpful.

Housing Allowance/Benefit

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what account his Department is taking of the concerns of landlords in the private rented housing sector regarding direct payment of housing benefit to tenants.

James Plaskitt: The general provision is that payment of housing benefit is made to the tenant. Every tenant is personally responsible for paying their rent; of those who claim housing benefit, the vast majority accept that responsibility by paying rent to their landlords.
	While the present regulations give consideration to the personal responsibility of the tenant and the legitimate interests of landlords, it is ultimately the landlord's own responsibility to ensure that he obtains whatever payments are properly due to him, irrespective of the tenant's source of income.
	Housing benefit regulations give local authorities wide-ranging powers to pay benefit direct to a claimant's landlord where there are eight weeks arrears of rent, unless it is in the tenant's overriding interest not to do so, or the landlord is not regarded as fit and proper to receive such payments.
	Local authorities also have discretion to make direct payments at any time where they decide that it is in the tenant's best interest to do so. This provision also caters for circumstances where it may be appropriate to make direct payments where there are no rent arrears, for example where the tenant has a history of rent arrears at a previous address or where social or medical problems clearly indicate that help with budgeting is needed.
	If a tenant, having originally agreed to payment direct to his landlord, then withdraws his consent it is still open to the local authority to make direct payment if they are satisfied this would be in the tenant's interest, for example, to prevent rent arrears and possible eviction.
	Early experience with the local housing allowance is that landlords are increasingly working with local authorities and their concerns over tenants not paying their rent have not been realised.

Incapacity Benefit

Patrick McFadden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Wolverhampton South East constituency are in receipt of incapacity benefit.

Anne McGuire: As at February 2005, there were 4,600 incapacity benefit and severe disability allowance claimants in the Wolverhampton South East parliamentary constituency.

Incapacity Benefit

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the number of people who did not receive the incapacity benefit to which they were entitled because they had incorrectly completed the initial application form in the last year for which figures are available.

Anne McGuire: The information is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Incapacity Benefit

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  if he will list the organisations contracted by his Department to assess claims for incapacity benefit, broken down by region;
	(2)  if he will list the organisations responsible for the assessment of the performance of the organisations contracted by his Department to assess claims for incapacity benefit.

Anne McGuire: holding answer 18 July 2005
	No organisations have been contracted by the Department to assess claims for incapacity benefit. All such claims are assessed by Jobcentre Plus staff.

Incapacity Benefit

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the estimated annual probability was of an (a) employed and (b) unemployed (i) man and (ii) woman remaining on incapacity benefit in each 12 month period since 1978–79.

Anne McGuire: holding answer 18 July 2005
	The information is not available.

Jobcentre Staff (Attacks)

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many jobcentre staff have been the victims of offences of violence in each year for the last 10 years.

Margaret Hodge: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. She will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Lesley Strathie to Mr. James Clappison, dated 19 July 2005
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking how many Jobcentre Plus staff have been victims of violence in each year for the last 10 years. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	The figures provided in the table relate specifically to actual physical assault as a result of staff carrying out their duties, rather than the number of victims of offences of violence as our data is not recorded in that way. Data prior to the periods covered is not available.
	
		
			 Calendar year Assaults 
		
		
			 2000* 291 
			 2001* 326 
			 2002 203 
			 2003 235 
			 2004 329 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Jobcentre Plus was set up on 1 April 2002, bringing together the former Department for Social Security's Benefit Agency (BA) and the Employment Service (ES);
	2. data for the calendar years 2000* and 2001* reflects the combined figures for ES and BA. Data for the calendar years 2002–04 reflects total figures for Jobcentre Plus;
	3. owing to a number of significant variables such as staffing levels, types and numbers of offices and methods of service delivery over the above period, year-on-year comparisons are not possible.
	I hope this is helpful.

Lone Parents

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what percentage of lone parents are in paid employment in each constituency in the UK, listed in descending order of percentage.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 4 July 2005
	The information is not available in the form requested. The available information on the number and percentage of lone parents in employment by region in descending order of percentage is in the following table.
	
		Number and percentage of lone parents in employment
		
			  Number Percentage 
		
		
			 South West 85,000 66.4 
			 South East 120,000 64.0 
			 Eastern 75,000 60.4 
			 Wales 55,000 59.8 
			 East Midlands 70,000 58.4 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 85,000 57.5 
			 West Midlands 90,000 57.4 
			 Scotland 90,000 56.3 
			 North West 135,000 55.1 
			 North East 45,000 52.3 
			 London 125,000 41.6 
		
	
	Note:
	Numbers are rounded to nearest 5,000. Percentages are rounded to nearest percentage point.
	Source:
	Labour Force Survey, Autumn 2004.

Medical Examination Centres

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what level and type of medical qualification is required for a professional employed to conduct benefit claimants' medical examinations at a medical examination centre.

Anne McGuire: Doctors appointed by the Medical Service are specifically trained in disability assessment medicine.
	All doctors who carry out work for Medical Services have to be fully registered with the General Medical Council. In addition, they must satisfy specific recruitment criteria. They are required to have at least three years post-registration experience with a spread of experience in appropriate fields, for example, General Practice, Orthopaedics, Rheumatology, rehabilitation medicine and Psychiatry.
	On appointment, they must undergo specific training, show evidence of competence and be approved on behalf of the Secretary of State by the Chief Medical Advisor to the Department for Work and Pensions.
	Annual continuing professional training, agreed between Atos Origin and the Department, is mandatory for every doctor providing services to the Department.

New Deal

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has for incorporating basic skills education into the Building on New Deal programme.

Margaret Hodge: Basic skills is a key element of the Building on New Deal (BoND) programme. It is planned that Advisers will work with customers to identify potential literacy, language or numeracy needs and, where such needs are identified, referral for an independent assessment of those needs will be offered.
	The assessment will identify the customer's current level of skill and help determine the most appropriate provision to address those needs and improve skills.
	The planned suite of provision offered to clients within BoND contains courses to help improve literacy and language skills to a level where customers are able to compete more effectively in the labour market.

Parliamentary Questions

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he will answer written parliamentary questions reference (a) 3169, (b) 3160, (c) 3158, (d) 3157, (e) 3156 and (f) 3153.

James Plaskitt: Replies were given to the hon. Member on 4 and 13 July.

Pathfinders Evaluations

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the next round of Pathfinders evaluations will be completed and published.

James Plaskitt: holding answer 14 July 2005
	We are about to publish further evidence from the local housing allowance pathfinder evaluation. The expected publication dates for the next and future evaluation summaries and reports is given in the table. All these documents will be placed in the Library when they are published.
	
		
			 Interim summaries/reports Provisional publication date 
		
		
			 Six month claimant report 20 July 2005 
			 Interim landlord summary 20 July 2005 
			 Interim landlord report October 2005 
			 Fifteen month operational stakeholder report End November 2005 
			 Fifteen month claimant summary Mid December 2005 
			 Fifteen month claimant report End March 2006 
			 Final evaluation reports — 
			 Stakeholder and market End October 2006 
			 Claimants and landlords Mid December 2006

Pension Credit

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether it is his policy to uprate pension credit in proportion to average earnings for the length of this Parliament.

James Plaskitt: The Government have given an undertaking to increase the guarantee credit in line with earnings up to March 2008.

Pension Protection Fund

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will assess the effectiveness of the Pension Protection Fund.

Margaret Hodge: The Pension Protection Fund (PPF) is up and running very successfully. Since its launch on 6 April 2005 10 schemes have entered an assessment period.
	Since the PPF is a brand new organisation, involving a huge raft of new legislation, we have been closely monitoring the effectiveness of our regulations to ensure the PPF's smooth operation.
	The PPF is working well with the pensions regulator and effective information flows have been established. The PPF also report that they have developed constructive relationships with a number of independent trustees.
	There has been a broad welcome from the pensions industry to the publication of the PPF's Statement of Investment Principles and consultation on the Risk Based Levy.

Pension Schemes/Service

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how the Government calculated the funding required for the financial assistance scheme.

James Plaskitt: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 13 July 2005, Official Report, column 1120W.

Pension Schemes/Service

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will break down the proportion of the total national insurance contracted out rebate going into (a) public and (b) private pension schemes by type of scheme for the latest year for which figures are available.

James Plaskitt: holding answer 14 July 2005
	The information is in the table and is based on the number of people in contracted-out schemes during the 2002–03 tax year, the latest year for which information is available:
	
		
			  Percentage of total rebate 
			 Type of scheme Public Private Total 
		
		
			 Contracted out salary related 36 26 62 
			 Contracted out money purchase — 2 2 
			 Contracted out mixed benefit — 4 4 
			 Appropriate personal pension — 32 32 
			 Total 36 64 100 
		
	
	Note:
	Percentages rounded to nearest whole figure.
	Source:
	Second Tier Pensions provision" published by the Department for Work and Pensions using the Lifetime Labour Market Database which uses a 1 per cent. sample of national insurance records.

Pension Schemes/Service

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what the levels of (a) sickness and (b) other staff absence were at the Pension Service Centre in Swansea in the most recent period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many staff there are at the Pension Service Centre in Swansea, broken down by grade pay scales; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: A breakdown of numbers of staff at Swansea pension centre is given in Tables 1 and 2. In June 2005 the average number of working days lost per member of staff as a result of sickness was 8.06 days and the average absence due to other factors was 12.63 days.
	
		Table 1: Permanent staff, Swansea pension centre, week beginning 4 July 2005
		
			 Grade Whole-time equivalent staff Headcount 
		
		
			 Grade 6 1.00 1 
			 Grade 7 1.00 1 
			 Senior Executive Officer 6.00 6 
			 Higher Executive Officer 8.90 9 
			 Executive Officer 166.25 177 
			 Administrative Officer 300.48 319 
			 Administrative Assistant 17.45 19 
			 Total 501.08 532 
		
	
	
		Table 2: Non-permanent staff, Swansea pension centre, week beginning 4 July 2005
		
			 Grade Whole-time equivalent staff Headcount 
		
		
			 Administrative Officer 59.07 61 
			 Administrative Assistant 43.00 45 
			 Total 102.07 106

Pension Schemes/Service

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what work has been transferred to the Pension Service Centre in Swansea following closure of other offices in North Devon and Cornwall; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what volume of work was processed at the Pension Centre in Swansea in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: Table 1 sets out the volumes of work processed at Swansea Pension Centre between July 2004 and June 2005. Table 2 indicates the volumes of work processed at the Pension Centre in respect of North Devon, Cornwall and Wales. Work in respect of North Devon and Cornwall was transferred to Swansea between September 2004 and March 2005.
	
		Table 1: Volumes of work processed, Swansea pension centre, July 2004June 2005
		
			  State pension claims processed State pension, changes processed Pension credit applications processed Pension credit changes processed 
		
		
			 July 2004 2,594 18,412 4,741 21,282 
			 August 2004 2,444 16,765 3,734 23,321 
			 September 2004 3,612 20,098 2,828 30,854 
			 October 2004 3,051 22,731 2,666 26,501 
			 November 2004 3,357 18,833 3,175 22,297 
			 December 2004 3,000 21,548 2,259 21,858 
			 January 2005 3,783 27,200 3,217 30,452 
			 February 2005 2,991 18,185 3,619 28,123 
			 March 2005 3,559 19,657 4,970 31,128 
			 April 2005 3,911 18,118 2,865 22,160 
			 May 2005 4,175 15,202 2,939 22,720 
			 June 2005 4,425 18,251 2,875 24,650 
			 Total 40,902 235,000 39,888 305,346 
		
	
	
		Table 2: Swansea pension centre: workload in respect of North Devon, Cornwall and Wales, June 2005
		
			  State pension live accounts Pension credit live accounts 
		
		
			 North Devon 66,500 28,104 
			 Cornwall 64,000 27,551 
			 Wales 393,623 159,683 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Swansea pension centre currently covers the whole of Wales, plus North Devon and Cornwall.
	2. Figures for state pension live accounts for North Devon and Cornwall are approximate only.
	Source:
	Swansea pension centre

Pension Schemes/Service

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pension schemes in the Coventry South area would be eligible for assistance from the Financial Assistance Scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: On 22 February the Government published an indicative list of schemes potentially eligible for the Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS). The list is based on information from a data collection exercise at the end of last year. From the information available none of the schemes on that list appears to be in the Coventry South area. After the FAS regulations have come into force, there will be a six-month period during which other schemes will have the opportunity to notify their details to the FAS.
	The list of schemes is available in the Library.

Pension Schemes/Service

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pension schemes inCoventry South operate under a defined benefit scheme.

Margaret Hodge: Information relating specifically to Coventry South is not available. There are around 110 such schemes in Coventry.

Pension Schemes/Service

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the Government plan to review the (a) Pension Protection Fund and (b) Financial Assistance Scheme to evaluate their efficiency and the quality of assistance they provide.

Margaret Hodge: While the Department has no responsibilities in the operational activities of the Pension Protection Fund, it has a primary role of stewardship. This involves active engagement with the organisation to ensure value for money and effective delivery against objectives.
	The Pension Protection Fund must adhere to formal reporting and audit requirements and engage in regular Accountability Reviews with the Department. As a non-departmental public body, the Pension Protection Fund is accountable to Parliament and is legally required to lay its annual report and accounts before Parliament.
	Board members are accountable for their decisions and performancethey must adhere to the legal framework of the organisation, and they can be removed from office for not meeting their terms and conditions. The Government made clear, on introducing the Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) in May 2004, that its operation will be reviewed after three years. In addition, a report on FAS's operation for each financial year will be laid before Parliament.

Pension Schemes/Service

John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the national insurance rebates for pension provision that will be payable in 2026.

James Plaskitt: The Government Actuary's Department has estimated that, assuming real earnings growth of 2 per cent. a year, the national insurance rebate for pension provision in Great Britain that would be payable in 2026 is 17.3 billion in cash terms, or 10.3 billion in constant 200506 prices. These estimates are based on the projections carried out for the update of the Quinquennial Review of the National Insurance Fund published in December 2004.

Pension Schemes/Service

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the level of the core benefit in the Financial Assistance Scheme is; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: A qualifying member or former member of a scheme who was within three years of his or her normal retirement age for that scheme, on 14 May 2004, will receive assistance that will top up his or her scheme pension to a level broadly equivalent to 80 per cent. of his or her expected pension. Payments will be subject to a de minimis level and a cap.
	The expected pension is the core component of the pension that a scheme member would have received each year had their scheme been able to meet its liabilities to in full. For non-pensioner members will look at the rate of accrued pension when active service ceased. For pensioner members we will look at the rate of unreduced pension that would have been in payment had the scheme not started to wind-up. Rights will be revalued to age 65.
	If a qualifying member dies at any point after the start of scheme wind-up, his or her surviving spouse or civil partner will receive FAS payments at 50 per cent. of the member's entitlement.

Pension Schemes/Service

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 11 July 2005, Official Report, column 679W, on the Financial Assistance Scheme, for what reasons the rate payable to the terminally ill is set at 60 per cent.; and whether this is the case even where the members' pension scheme has completed wind-up.

Margaret Hodge: Where a pension scheme qualifying for help from the Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) has completed wind-up, assistance for eligible members (including terminally ill people) will top up to 80 per cent. of core pension rights.
	The top-up rate for discretionary initial payments made to eligible members before wind-up has been completed, including terminally ill people, has been set at 60 per cent. of core pension rights. This is because at that stage scheme trustees will not know how the scheme's assets compare with its liabilities and how much pension individual members have lost. This follows the precedent whereby trustees may, where funds allow, make interim payments at a safe rate to pensioner members from the pension scheme itself before wind-up is completed. Initial payments from the FAS will take account of any interim payments from the pension scheme. The top-up rate will be adjusted to 80 per cent. on the completion of wind-up and, if needed, arrears will be paid to compensate for the lower rate of payment during wind-up.

Pension Schemes/Service

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 11 July 2005, Official Report, column 679W, on the Financial Assistance Scheme, if he will list the occasions when his Department has encouraged the trustees of schemes eligible for the Financial Assistance Scheme to start making payments as quickly as possible.

Margaret Hodge: In the written ministerial statement on 2 December 2004, Official Report, columns 6466WS, we made clear that trustees should fulfil their duty to wind-up schemes in an expeditious manner (including annuitisation where appropriate). That remains the Government's position.
	Once the formal scheme notification period for the Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) starts on 1 September 2005, guidance will be available for trustees to explain the FAS and the requirements it places upon them, and to re-emphasise the importance of their making payments to their members as soon as they can.

Return to Work Support

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many long-term claimants of incapacity benefit in Birkenhead have been offered support to return to work through (a) the New Deal for Disabled People, (b) work preparation, (c) workstep, (d) the permitted work rules, (e) benefit run-ons and (f) other Jobcentre Plus provision.

Anne McGuire: holding answer 18 July 2005
	The information is not collated or held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Strychnine Hydrochloride

David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many accidents affecting human health as a result of strychnine hydrochloride used by mole catchers have occurred in the last 10 years.

Anne McGuire: The Health and Safety Executive has not received any reports in the last 10 years of accidents affecting human health as a result of strychnine hydrochloride used by mole catchers.

Winter Fuel Payment

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many payments of the winter fuel allowance were made to pensioners living overseas in each year from 200102 to 200506; in which countries the qualifying pensioners lived; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 18 July 2005
	The number of payments made to pensioners living overseas is in the table. Payments for winter 200506 have not yet been made.
	
		
			  Payments made in winter: 
			 Country 200203 200304 200405 
		
		
			 Gibraltar 32 49 73 
			 Republic of Ireland 660 1,397 2,367 
			 Austria 15 25 45 
			 Belgium 21 37 65 
			 Denmark 12 19 32 
			 Finland 10 12 21 
			 France 1,780 3,797 6,472 
			 Germany 88 226 369 
			 Greece 63 150 271 
			 Italy 96 201 360 
			 Luxembourg 4 4 9 
			 Netherlands 24 58 83 
			 Norway 2 8 13 
			 Portugal 104 257 452 
			 Spain 5,167 10,390 16,215 
			 Sweden 7 28 40 
			 Switzerland 9 21 45 
			 Iceland 0 0 4 
			 Cyprus 0 0 1,408 
			 Malta 0 0 264 
			 Poland 0 0 27 
			 Hungary 0 0 21 
			 Slovenia 0 0 1 
			 Czech Republic 0 0 1 
			 Lithuania 0 0 1 
			 Latvia 0 0 2 
			 Totals 8,094 16,679 28,661 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Pensioners living overseas were first paid in winter 200203, these payments included any arrears due for earlier winters. It is not possible to give a separate breakdown of these earlier years.
	2. Entitled pensioners living in the 10 countries that joined the European Union in May 2004 could be paid from winter 200405.

Work-related Stress

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many cases of work-related stress have been reported in his Department in each of the last three years; how much compensation was paid to employees in each year; how many work days were lost due to work-related stress in each year; at what cost; what procedures have been put in place to reduce work-related stress; at what cost; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: The Department for Work and Pensions does not collect information in the format requested. Our sick absence statistics contain figures for absences due to mental and behavioural disorders, which is the category which includes stress-related absences, both those which are work-related and those which are not.
	In the year to May 2005, the average working days lost per staff year was 12.4, which is an absence rate of 5 per cent. Of this total, days lost due to mental and behavioural disorders represent about 30 per cent. The table sets out the detail about the working days lost due to mental and behavioural disorders.
	
		
			 Period (1 June to 31 May) Occurrences Total working days lost Salary costs () 
		
		
			 200203 14,965 406,747 22,800,243 
			 200304 15,648 434,852 25,652,989 
			 200405 13,320 362,907 22,245,941 
		
	
	The Department does not collect separate information about compensation payments relating to work-related stress. The total paid in compensation in the last three years is in the table.
	
		
			 Period Amount of compensation 
		
		
			 200203 74,209 
			 200304 130,550 
			 2004/05 62,080 
		
	
	The Department introduced a well-being at work policy in September 2004 as a means of tackling work-related stress. The HSE Management Standards and associated processes underpin the well-being policy and feature as part of the annual DWP staff survey. In addition, the Department has contracts with Atos Origin to provide an occupational health service, and with Right Core Care to provide an employee assistance service. Such provision is not, however, confined to work-related stress, which means it is difficult to apportion a cost to what is being done to reduce this.

HEALTH

Abortions

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions have been performed in (a) Great Britain and (b) Essex under the Abortion Act, as amended by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990; and what percentage and how many were performed to save the life of the mother.

Caroline Flint: The number of abortions performed in England and Wales on residents of England and Wales in the years 1968 to 2003 was 4.92 million. Of these 23,470 (0.5 per cent.) were performed under Sections 1(1)(c) and 1(4) of the Abortion Act 1967. These are cases where the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk to the life of the pregnant woman, greater than if the pregnancy were terminated, or where the termination is immediately necessary to save the life or to prevent grave permanent injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman.
	Due to boundary changes, it is not possible to give the total number of abortions performed in Essex in the years 1968 to 2003. In 2002 there were 4,626 abortions performed in Essex, which accounted for about 3 per cent. of all abortions England and Wales in 2002.

Abortions

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doctors specialising in abortion procedures there are in the Southend West constituency.

Caroline Flint: This information is not collected centrally.

Abortions

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many abortions were performed in Southend Primary Care Trust, broken down by (a) grounds, (b) the age of the woman and (c) the number of previous abortions in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many abortions were carried out at each week of gestation between 18 and 32 in the last year for which figures are available;
	(3)  how many women in England had an abortion in each of the last five years for which figures are available who already had had (a) one, (b) two, (c) three, (d) four and (e) five previous abortions;
	(4)  how many women in the Southend area had an abortion in each of the last five years for which figures are available who already had had (a) one, (b) two, (c) three, (d) four and (e) five previous abortions;
	(5)  what the total number of abortions performed in (a) England, (b) Wales and (c) Scotland was in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and how many were performed in (i) NHS and (ii) private hospitals;
	(6)  how many selective reduction abortions there were in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available;
	(7)  whether her Department requires doctors performing selective reduction of pregnancies to require a certificate stating the grounds for termination of unborn babies under the Abortion Act 1967;
	(8)  what proportion of women having an abortion in the latest year for which figures are available were married at the time of the abortion; what the statistical mode figures were for (a) the age of the woman, (b) the gestation of the pregnancy, (c) the number of previous children born to the woman and (d) the number of previous abortions undergone by the woman; and what the most common legal grounds were under which the abortion was performed.

Caroline Flint: The Abortion Act 1967 requires any registered medical practitioner who terminates a pregnancy to give notice of the termination to the Chief Medical Officer, including selective reduction of pregnancies.
	The available information for abortions performed in England and Wales is contained in the annual Office for National Statistics publication, Abortion Statistics, series A8; Office for National Statistics and the Department's, Statistical Bulletin 2003/23, and Statistical Bulletin 2004/14. Data for 1991 onwards can be found on the Department's website at: www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/Statistics/StatisticalWorkAreas/StatisticalPublicHealth/fs/en. Copies of the publications are also available in the Library.

Abortions

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions were performed on girls aged (a) 10, (b) 11, (c) 12, (d) 13, (e) 14, (f) 15, (g) 16 and (h) 17 years of age in each year since 1975; and how many were performed to save the life of the pregnant woman.

Caroline Flint: The information available is shown in the table.
	With regard to the number of abortions performed to save the life of the pregnant woman, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier.
	
		Legal abortions: number of abortions by age between 10 and 17 years, residents, England and Wales, 1975 to 2003
		
			   Ages 
			  Total all ages 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 
		
		
			 1975 106,224 0 0 12 120 747 2,691 5,411 6,394 
			 1976 101,912 0 6 14 122 738 2,545 5,429 6,285 
			 1977 102,677 0 1 13 105 804 2,701 5,510 6,367 
			 1978 111,851 0 3 20 113 708 2,454 5,675 6,733 
			 1979 120,611 0 9 12 116 698 2,693 6,030 7,412 
			 1980 128,927 0 5 17 139 769 2,716 6,330 7,932 
			 1981 128,581 (50) (50) (50) (50) (51)830 2,701 (50) (50) 
			 1982 128,553 (50) (50) (50) (50) (51)931 2,921 (50) (50) 
			 1983 127,375 (50) (50) (50) (50) (51)1,029 3,058 (50) (50) 
			 1984 136,388 0 1 9 111 898 3,139 6,802 8,406 
			 1985 141,101 0 0 7 118 899 2,978 6,648 8,432 
			 1986 147,619 0 0 5 77 842 2,970 6,175 8,309 
			 1987 156,191 1 1 10 114 781 2,58 6,251 8,252 
			 1988 168,298 0 0 7 88 764 2,709 6,513 9,212 
			 1989 170,463 0 0 9 72 722 2,80 5,961 8,560 
			 1990 173,900 0 2 7 100 764 2,549 5,555 8,156 
			 1991 167,376 0 2 8 119 757 2272 4940 7053 
			 1992 160,501 0 0 8 135 762 2,095 4,436 6,251 
			 1993 157,846 0 0 8 133 823 2,119 4,109 5,844 
			 1994 156,539 0 1 13 148 918 2,166 4,270 5,699 
			 1995 154,315 0 1 12 129 804 2,24 4,45 5,791 
			 1996 167,916 0 0 7 173 917 2,547 5,209 6,994 
			 1997 170,145 1 0 17 140 862 2,414 5,231 7,427 
			 1998 177,871 0 2 11 162 928 2,656 5,372 8,055 
			 1999 173,701 0 2 8 152 903 2,537 5,319 7,639 
			 2000 175,542 0 2 15 144 886 2,700 5,439 7,895 
			 2001 176,364 0 1 15 132 918 2,592 5,652 7,963 
			 2002 175,932 (50) (50) (50) (52)168 907 2,658 5,633 8,083 
			 2003 181,582 (50) (50) (50) (52)148 1,023 2,796 5,768 8,387 
		
	
	(50) not published.
	2 data relate to age under 15.
	(51) data relate to age under 14.

Abortions

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions have been performed in England on grounds of foetal handicap under the provisions of the Abortion Act 1967 (as amended); and what percentage this represents of the total number of abortions.

Caroline Flint: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		Legal abortions: number and percentage that were performed on the grounds of foetal handicap, residents, England and Wales, 1968 to 2003
		
			  Section 1(1)(d) Total abortions Percentage 
		
		
			 1966 1,304 22,332 5.8 
			 1969 1,849 49,829 3.7 
			 1970 2,048 75,962 2.7 
			 1971 2,237 94,570 2.4 
			 1972 2,013 108,565 1.9 
			 1973 2,019 110,568 1.8 
			 1974 1,686 109,445 1.5 
			 1975 1,572 106,224 1.5 
			 1976 1,316 101,912 1.3 
			 1977 1,474 102,677 1.4 
			 1978 2,356 111,851 2.1 
			 1979 2,151 120,611 1.8 
			 1980 1,900 128,927 1.5 
			 1981 1,818 128,581 1.4 
			 1982 2,006 128,553 1.6 
			 1983 2,019 127,375 1.6 
			 1984 2,007 136,388 1.5 
			 1985 1,921 141,101 1.4 
			 1986 1,963 147,619 1.3 
			 1987 1,862 156,191 1.2 
			 1988 1,732 168,298 1.0 
			 1989 1,651 170,463 1.0 
			 1990 1,589 173,900 0.9 
			 1991 1,710 167,376 1.0 
			 1992 1,802 160,501 1.1 
			 1993 1,935 157,846 1.2 
			 1994 1,796 156,539 1.1 
			 1995 1,823 154,315 1.2 
			 1996 1,929 167,916 1.1 
			 1997 1,853 170,145 1.1 
			 1998 1,830 177,871 1.0 
			 1999 1,813 173,701 1.0 
			 2000 1,833 175,542 1.0 
			 2001 1,722 176,364 1.0 
			 2002 1,894 175,932 1.1 
			 2003 1,941 181,582 1.1 
			 Total 66,374 4,917,572 1.3 
		
	
	Note:
	Section 1(1)(d) of the Abortion Act, that there is a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped.

Abortions

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the number of (a) live births and (b) abortions was in each year since 1976.

Caroline Flint: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		Number of live births and abortions, England and Wales, 1976 to 2004(52)
		
			  Live births Abortions 
		
		
			 1976 584,270 129,673 
			 1977 569,259 133,004 
			 1978 596,418 141,558 
			 1979 638,028 149,746 
			 1980 656,234 160,903 
			 1981 634,492 162,480 
			 1982 625,931 163,045 
			 1983 629,134 162,161 
			 1984 636,818 169,993 
			 1985 656,417 171,873 
			 1986 661,018 172,286 
			 1987 681,511 174,276 
			 1988 693,577 183,798 
			 1989 687,725 183,974 
			 1990 706,140 186,912 
			 1991 699,217 179,522 
			 1992 689,656 172,069 
			 1993 673,467 168,714 
			 1994 664,726 166,876 
			 1995 648,138 163,638 
			 1996 649,485 177,495 
			 1997 643,095 179,746 
			 1998 635,901 187,402 
			 1999 621,872 183,250 
			 2000 604,441 185,375 
			 2001 594,634 186,274 
			 2002 596,122 185,385 
			 2003 621,469 190,660 
			 2004 639,721 n/a 
		
	
	(52) Number of live births relate to births occurring in England and Wales. Number of abortions relate to residents of England and Wales.

Abortions

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many women were refused an abortion because their particular circumstances did not fit the criteria in the Abortion Act 1967 (as amended) in the last 12 months.

Caroline Flint: This information is not collected centrally.

Abortions

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which organisations in the field of reproductive health are funded by her Department; how much was given to each in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and whether account is taken of an organisation's stance on abortion in allocating public funds.

Caroline Flint: Amounts received by voluntary organisations in the reproductive health field funded by the Department through the Section 64 grant scheme over the past five years are shown in the following tables.
	
		
		
			  Name of voluntary organisation 
			 Financial year Brook Family planning association 
		
		
			 200102 105,000 80,000 
			 200203 100,000 80,000 
			 200304 90,000 100,000 
			 200405 90,000 95,000 
			 200506 90,000 170,000 
			 Total 475,000 525,000 
		
	
	A further 11,000 was also provided as a one-off payment to the organisation Education for Choice in 2004, as a contribution towards the costs of website development.
	In addition, the following voluntary organisations in the field of assisted reproduction have received Departmental funding within the last five years:
	British Infertility Counselling Association.
	CHILD (The National Infertility Support Network).
	Infertility Network UK.
	ISSUE (The National Fertility Association Ltd).
	National Gamete Donation Trust.
	The total amount of funding provided each year to these organisations is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Total () 
		
		
			 200102 73,357 
			 200203 102,000 
			 200304 165,000 
			 200405 186,515 
			 200506 100,900 
			 Total(53) 627,772 
		
	
	(53) Grand total for five years.
	The Department considers requests for funding on a case by case basis and will fund organisations where they represent value for money and where we are confident that they have the skills, knowledge and capacity to deliver what is required.
	Funding has also been provided to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), as shown in the following table.
	
		Departmental funding for HFEA since 200102(54)
		
			  million 
			  Baseline Register(55) Accommodation(56) Other projects Total 
		
		
			 200102 0.577   0.967(57) 1.544 
			 200203 0.577 1.195 0.067  1.839 
			 200304 1.650 1.957 0.433  4.040 
			 200405 1.500 4.350   5.850 
			 200506(58) 1.500 4.767   6.267 
		
	
	(54) All funds paid by the Department, home country contribution (based on the Barnet Formula) recovered during financial year.
	(55) Project funding for the redevelopment for the database register and audit of the accuracy of previously recorded data.
	(56) Project funding towards costs of relocation to new premises at 21 Bloomsbury Street.
	(57) Additional funds to offset in-year budget pressures.
	(58) Provisional funding for 200506.
	The HFEA is a statutory regulatory body. For that reason, it does not promote a view on abortion issues.

Abortions

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when each of the nine recommendations contained in the report of the Select Committee on the Abortion (Amendment) Bill 1975 were implemented;
	(2)  if she will list the recommendations contained in the Select Committee on the Abortion (Amendment) Bill 1975, and the First and Second Reports from the Select Committee on Abortion 197576 which were implemented (a) in part and (b) in full.

Caroline Flint: The nine recommendations of the Select Committee on the Abortion (Amendment) Bill 197475 were implemented as follows:
	
		Abortion (Amendment) Bill 197475
		
			   Recommendation 
		
		
			 1 Counselling of women Implemented in full in July 1977 (HC(77)26). 
			 2 Examination of the women Implemented in part in March 1976 (SI 1976 No.15). 
			 3 Certification and notification Implemented in part in March 1981 (SI 1980 No. 1724). 
			 4 Disclosure of information Implemented in full in March 1976 (SI 1976 No. 15). 
			 5 Private sector arrangements Implemented in part in September 1975 through the system of assurances, which proprietors of approved places are required to give to the Secretary of State. 
			 6 Foreign women Implemented in part in December 1975. 
			 7 National health servicetermination after the 20th week Discussed with regional medical Officers in 1975 and 1983. 
			 8 Referral agencies Implemented in full in March 1977. 
			 9 The use of foetuses and foetal material for research (the Peel Report) The Peel code of practice issued in 1972 was voluntarily accepted by the professions. The Department ensures that arrangements for supply of foetal material for research from private sector places carrying out abortions comply with the code of practice. 
		
	
	Updating this information and providing information on the additional recommendations contained in the first and second reports from the Select Committee on Abortion, session 197576, could be done only at disproportionate cost. Since 1976, a wide range of issues relating to abortion were considered by Parliament during the debates informing the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990. In 2001, the national strategy for sexual health and HIV set out the Government's 10 year strategy for sexual health, further bolstered by the 2004 public health White Paper. In this context, the Health Select Committee has itself conducted inquiries into sexual and reproductive health, including abortion issues, in 2003 and 2005.
	It is accepted parliamentary practice that proposals for changes in the law on abortion have come from hon. and right hon. Members on the back benches and that decisions are made on the basis of free votes. The Government has no plans to change the law on abortion.

Alcohol-related Illness

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people (a) under and (b) over the age of 18 were admitted to hospital for alcohol-related problems in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available, broken down by region.

Caroline Flint: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		Counts of finished admission episodes for selected alcohol-related diseases(59) by strategic health authority (SHA) of residence and age grouping, national health service hospitals, England 199697 to 200304
		
			  199697 199798 199899 19992000 
			 SHA Under 18 Over 18 Under 18 Over 18 Under 18 Over 18 Under 18 Over 18 
		
		
			 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire 108 713 149 876 115 1,061 143 1,133 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire 139 526 159 677 148 712 158 734 
			 Essex 69 672 55 771 47 681 58 783 
			 North West London 56 1,008 51 1,432 45 1,528 50 1,124 
			 North Central London 65 761 43 901 28 893 52 901 
			 North East London 56 851 45 946 47 974 53 1,056 
			 South East London 69 926 71 1,286 48 1,198 71 1,360 
			 South West London 100 762 94 765 79 713 87 876 
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear 226 1,513 238 1,236 195 1,640 198 1,690 
			 County Durham and Tees Valley 257 959 282 1,014 213 1,083 239 1,102 
			 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincs. 144 928 108 537 198 1,331 253 1,414 
			 West Yorkshire 228 1,351 225 1,411 206 1,254 237 1,376 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire 252 2,259 261 2,148 221 1,942 313 1,811 
			 Greater Manchester 271 2,766 278 2,470 251 2,291 290 2,309 
			 Cheshire and Merseyside 356 2,983 332 3,085 296 2,955 319 2,961 
			 Thames Valley 69 858 86 935 100 866 111 854 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 97 1,118 107 1,141 117 1,361 138 1,328 
			 Kent and Medway 115 806 123 597 119 597 127 676 
			 Surrey and Sussex 159 1,530 168 1,475 167 1,417 207 1,244 
			 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire 127 1,184 119 1,211 149 1,200 124 1,234 
			 South West Peninsula 123 943 148 1,045 107 926 137 966 
			 Dorset and Somerset 76 908 92 726 95 737 90 935 
			 South Yorkshire 153 761 126 868 148 887 170 869 
			 Trent 193 1,848 245 1,647 202 2,011 259 2,068 
			 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland 94 667 117 672 114 851 126 788 
			 Shropshire and Staffordshire 155 1,035 182 1,227 141 1,102 169 1,048 
			 Birmingham and the Black Country 169 2,047 208 2,106 203 1,861 281 1,866 
			 Coventry, Warwickshire, Herefordshire and  Worcestershire 170 1,388 182 1,294 173 1,133 199 1,231 
			 Scotland 2 21 4 19 2 24 6 38 
			 Englandnot otherwise specified 3 330 9 414 8 499   
			 Wales 17 91 17 125 17 116 25 218 
			 Foreign (includes Isle of Man and Channel Islands) 6 38 4 34 9 36 13 43 
			 Unknown 49 1,176 93 1,934 18 570 35 1,016 
			 Northern Ireland  13  6  15  8 
			 Totals 4,173 35,740 4,421 37,031 4,026 36,465 4,738 37,060 
		
	
	
		
			  200001 200102 200203 200304 
			 Region Under 18 Over 18 Under 18 Over 18 Under 18 Over 18 Under 18 Over 18 
		
		
			 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire 144 1,133 130 1,135 115 1,208 144 1,338 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire 122 629 176 687 148 707 133 815 
			 Essex 61 768 43 761 52 779 64 981 
			 North West London 54 955 61 1,106 60 1,204 86 1,423 
			 North Central London 49 814 44 807 59 874 62 906 
			 North East London 30 889 52 977 64 1,036 86 1,157 
			 South East London 53 1,113 47 1,017 62 1,289 88 1,392 
			 South West London 102 850 115 761 129 863 135 1,049 
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear 219 1,567 172 1,486 159 1,510 117 1,533 
			 County Durham and Tees Valley 241 1,066 183 1,079 123 929 142 1,225 
			 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincs. 221 1,232 224 1,246 170 1,209 252 1,292 
			 West Yorkshire 168 1,509 192 1,509 204 1,484 186 1,539 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire 294 1,823 288 2,168 273 2,023 250 2,054 
			 Greater Manchester 342 2,301 285 2,311 271 2,162 344 2,522 
			 Cheshire and Merseyside 314 3,156 315 3,459 323 3,517 349 3,771 
			 Thames Valley 69 913 129 954 89 975 116 1,063 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 133 1,315 119 1,290 151 1,405 181 1,307 
			 Kent and Medway 99 665 151 650 116 734 145 766 
			 Surrey and Sussex 235 1,260 295 1,256 253 1,496 266 1,543 
			 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire 122 1,017 144 1,094 126 1,107 170 1,230 
			 South West Peninsula 110 1,114 110 1,152 128 1,218 198 1,292 
			 Dorset and Somerset 98 731 97 712 85 660 85 730 
			 South Yorkshire 139 951 103 831 89 957 100 1,146 
			 Trent 232 2,006 251 1,875 211 1J32 218 2,060 
			 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland 98 768 91 652 84 853 92 1,111 
			 Shropshire and Staffordshire 135 950 148 1,002 138 1,097 176 1,276 
			 Birmingham and the Black Country 267 1,842 247 1,908 185 1,978 237 2,113 
			 Coventry, Warwickshire, Herefordshire and  Worcestershire 194 1,107 142 1,026 143 1,181 152 1,135 
			 Scotland 4 29 2 35 6 24 6 47 
			 Englandnot otherwise specified 5 495 7 529 8 553 17 705 
			 Wales 16 84 23 111 18 89 12 104 
			 Foreign (includes Isle of Man and Channel Islands) 10 44 6 47 10 47 9 61 
			 Unknown 32 500 42 558 27 445 29 417 
			 Northern Ireland  7  6  8  19 
			 Totals 4,412 35,603 4,434 36,197 4,079 37,453 4,647 41,122 
		
	
	(59) Alcohol-related diseases defined as following ICD-10 codes recorded in primary diagnosisF10 Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol, K70 Alcoholic liver disease, T51 Toxic effect of alcohol.
	Source:
	Hospital episode statistics, Health and Social Care Information Centre.

Arrhythmias and Sudden Death Programme Board

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if she will make a statement on the representation from Northern Ireland on the new Arrhythmias and Sudden Death Programme Board;
	(2)  whether the new National Service Framework chapter on arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death extends to Northern Ireland.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 13 July 2005
	Chapter eight of the national service framework for coronary heart disease, Arrhythmias and Sudden Cardiac Death, was written and produced in consultation with a large expert group, including members from Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
	The Arrhythmias and Sudden Death Programme Board has been formed to implement the chapter but with the membership limited. Devolved Administrations such as Northern Ireland will not be represented on the board because it is responsible for implementation of the new chapter in England.

Asthma

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) adults and (b) children in Portsmouth are suffering from asthma.

Caroline Flint: The Department does not centrally hold the information requested on the number of people suffering from asthma. However, the Health and Social Care Information Centre is due to publish data shortly about the numbers of people in each primary care trust area recorded with asthma in 200405, which will be available on their website.

Bedfordshire Health Spending

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent per capita from central Government funds on health in the county of Bedfordshire in each year since 2000.

Rosie Winterton: The expenditure per weighted head on health in Bedfordshire Health Authority (HA) area, which corresponded to the county of Bedfordshire and Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Strategic Health Authority (SHA) area is shown in the table. Expenditure based on the county of Bedfordshire is not available for 200203 and 200304.
	
		 per head
		
			  Bedfordshire Health Authority area Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Strategic Health Authority area 
		
		
			 200001 779.74 n/a 
			 200102 970.12 n/a 
			 200203 n/a 939.08 
			 200304 n/a 1,061.38 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Expenditure is taken from audited HA summarisation forms and primary care trust summarisation schedules which are prepared on a resource basis and therefore differ from cash allocations in the year. The figures have not been adjusted for inflation.
	2. Figures for 200001 and 200102 have been prepared using gross expenditure figures. Figures for 200203 and 200304 have been adjusted to eliminate expenditure which would be double counted where an authority acts as a lead in commissioning health care or other services.
	3. In many HAs there are factors which distort the expenditure. These include:
	the HA acting in a lead capacity to commission healthcare or fund training on behalf of other health bodies; and
	asset revaluations in national health service trusts being funded through HAs or primary
	care trusts (PCTs).
	4. The majority of general dental services expenditure is separately accounted for by the Dental Practice board. An element of pharmaceutical services expenditure is accounted for by the Prescription Pricing Authority. Total expenditure on these items by the Dental Practice Board and the Prescription Pricing Authority cannot be allocated to individual health bodies. Therefore, the total expenditure in the answer by health authority does not capture all NHS expenditure within the area.
	Sources:
	Bedfordshire HA audited summarisation forms 200001 and 200102.
	Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire SHA audited summarisation forms 200203 and 200304.
	PCT audited summarisation schedules 200102 to 200304 for bodies within the above HA areas weighted population figures.

Breastfeeding

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many primary care trusts (a) are collecting reliable data on breastfeeding initiation and duration rates and (b) have appointed a breastfeeding co-ordinator.

Caroline Flint: The latest data provided to the Department for 200405, found there were 201 primary care trusts collecting reliable data on breastfeeding initiation, where reliable has been defined as consistent data in which at least 96 per cent. of mothers have their breastfeeding initiation status given.
	Data on the number of primary care trusts who have appointed a breastfeeding co-ordinator are not collected centrally.

Breastfeeding

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the baseline breastfeeding initiation data as outlined in the Priorities and Planning Framework 2003 to 2006 are for each primary care trust.

Caroline Flint: Data for breastfeeding initiation are not yet sufficiently robust to reliably assess levels of breastfeeding initiation for all primary care trusts (PCTs). However, the data quality is improving. The percentage of others for whom breastfeeding initiation status was not known decreased from 14.6 per cent. in 200304 to 5.6 per cent. in 200405. We continue to monitor the progress of PCTs in improving the data quality.

Cancelled Operations (Southend)

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many operations in Southend primary care trust were cancelled on (a) the day of and (b) the day after admission; and how many of these patients were not readmitted within a month in each quarter of the last five years for which figures are available.

Rosie Winterton: The Department does not collect information about cancelled operations at primary care trust level.
	However, the table shows the number of operations cancelled at the last minute for non clinical reasons and the number of patients not admitted within 28 days at Southend Hospital National Health Service Trust.
	
		
			 Quarter Number of last minute cancellations for non clinical reasons in the quarter Number of patients not admitted within 28 days of cancellation on the day of surgery 
		
		
			 200405   
			 April-June 124 5 
			 July-September 250 30 
			 October-December 298 28 
			 January-March 335 39 
			
			 200304   
			 April-June 177 1 
			 July-September 149 1 
			 October-December 226 3 
			 January-March 139 2 
			
			 200203   
			 April-June 81 11 
			 July-September 34 3 
			 October-December 179 5 
			 January-March 215 4 
			 200102   
			 April-June 86 0 
			 July-September 113 0 
			 October-December 104 0 
			 January-March 97 14 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Data were collected by health authority only prior to 200102. Trust level data were collected from 200102 onwards
	2. A last minute cancellation is one that occurs on the day the patient was due to arrive, after they have arrived in hospital or on the day of their operation. For example, a patient is to be admitted to hospital on a Monday for an operation scheduled for the following day (Tuesday). If the hospital cancels his/her operation for non-clinical reasons on the Monday, then this would count as a last minute cancellation. This includes patients who have not actually arrived in hospital and have been telephoned at home prior to their arrival.
	3. An operation which is rescheduled to a time within 24 hours of the original scheduled operation should be recorded as a postponement and not as a cancellation. The QMCO collection does not record the number of postponements.
	4. Some common non-clinical reasons for cancellations by the hospital include: ward beds unavailable; surgeon unavailable; emergency case needing theatre; theatre list over-ran; equipment failure; admin error; anaesthetist unavailable; theatre staff unavailable; and critical care bed unavailable.

Cancer Treatment

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are being treated with the cancer drug Anastrozole in each NHS health authority area in England.

Rosie Winterton: Information on the number of people currently being treated by Anastrozole in each national health service health authority area in England and Wales is not collected centrally. However, the prescription cost analysis database contains the following data for Anastrozole dispensed in the community. The data do not cover drugs dispensed in hospitals, including mental health trusts, or private prescriptions.
	
		Number of items and cost of Anastrozole dispensed in England, 1995 to 2004
		
			  Items Cost () 
		
		
			 1995 1,131 109,341 
			 1996 27,896 2,764,835 
			 1997 65,487 6,595,537 
			 1998 97,275 9,883,452 
			 1999 121,150 12,457,630 
			 2000 145,746 14,909,606 
			 2001 171,971 17,556,672 
			 2002 218,438 22,322,882 
			 2003 275,043 28,359,636 
			 2004 331,582 34,358,711

Care Homes (Essex)

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) local authority and (b) private sector care homes there are in each local authority in Essex.

Rosie Winterton: Information on the number of care homes by type of provider in Essex at 31 March 2001 is shown in the table.
	I understand from the Chair of the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) that figures for later years were collected by the National Care Standards Commission, and now CSCI, but comparable details are not available.
	
		Number of care homes in Essex by type of provider at 31 March 2001
		
			 Rounded number(60) 
			  Residential homes(61) Nursing homes(62) 
			 Councils with social services responsibilities Local authority staffed Independent(63) Independent 
		
		
			 Total for Essex area 45 490 (64)120 
			 Essex 40 355 n/a 
			 Southend 5 110 n/a 
			 Thurrock 5 25 n/a 
		
	
	n/a = Data not available.
	1 Figures may not sum due to rounding.
	2 Excludes dual registered homes.
	3 Includes general and mental nursing homes, private hospitals and clinics. Dual registered homes are included under nursing homes.
	4 Includes voluntary, private and small homes.
	5 Data on nursing homes relates to North Essex and South Essex health authorities.
	Source:
	RA Form A,RH(N) Form A.

Chlamydia

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) males and (b) females have been diagnosed with Chlamydia in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Caroline Flint: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for West Chelmsford (Mr. Burns) on 5 July 2005, Official Report, columns 36465W.

Clostridium Difficile

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when she will publish the terms of reference of her proposed inquiry into Clostridium difficile;
	(2)  whether the terms of reference of her proposed inquiry into Clostridium difficile will cover the role of (a) her Department and (b) the Health Protection Agency in responding to the trend in the incidence of Clostridium difficile and the discovery of strain 027 in English hospitals;
	(3)  if she will frame the terms of reference of her proposed inquiry into Clostridium difficile to cover each hospital where strain 027 has been confirmed.

Jane Kennedy: holding answers 4 July 2005
	In asking the Healthcare Commission to undertake its investigation, the Secretary of State made it clear that the first priority must be to bring the outbreak at Stoke Mandeville under control and requested that the investigation only commence once all parties agreed that it was sensible to do so. The Healthcare Commission are drawing up the terms of reference for the investigation and these will be available shortly.
	The Healthcare Commission has been asked to undertake an investigation into Clostridium difficile at Stoke Mandeville Hospital. It is hoped that any learning and best practice arising from the investigation will be shared across the national health service.

Consultant Vacancies

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which hospitals in Hertfordshire have vacancies for consultants; and in what departments.

Rosie Winterton: The vacancy rates for trusts in Hertfordshire are shown in the tables. This is the latest data available as at 31 March 2004. Figures for 2005 are due for publication at the end of July 2005.
	
		Three month vacancy rate and number for consultants by specialty and selected trust in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Strategic Health Authority (SHA) as t 31 March 2004
		
			  All consultants 
			 Organisation 3 month vacancy rate (percentage) 3 month vacancy (number) Staff in post (full- time equivalent) Staff in post (headcount) 
		
		
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire SHA Total 5.0 33 621 668 
			 Of which: 
			 East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust 8.0 13 149 158 
			 West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust 5.1 9 167 181 
			 Of which: 
			 1. Accident and emergency 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire SHA Total 18.3 3 13 14 
			 East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust * 0 5 5 
			 West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust * 3 5 5 
			 2. Anaesthetics (including intensive care) 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire SHA Total 7.9 7 81 85 
			 East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust 16.5 5 25 26 
			 West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust 3.4 1 28 30 
			 3. Cardiology 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire SHA Total 8.5 1 11 11 
			 East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust * 0 4 4 
			 West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust * 0 4 4 
			 4. Clinical radiology 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire SHA Total 4.9 2 39 42 
			 East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust 9.1 1 10 11 
			 West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust 0.0 0 14 15 
			 5. Dermatology 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire SHA Total 9.7 1 9 12 
			 East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust * 0 1 2 
			 West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust * 1 4 6 
			 6. General surgery 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire SHA Total 3.8 2 37 40 
			 East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust 7.7 1 12 13 
			 West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust 0.0 0 13 14 
			  
			 7. Genito-urinary medicine 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire SHA Total * 1 9 9 
			 East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust  0 0 0 
			 West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust * 1 3 3 
			  
			 8. Haematology 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire SHA Total 10.4 2 13 14 
			 East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust * 0 4 5 
			 West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust * 1 4 5 
			  
			 9. Histopathology 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire SHA Total 8.3 2 22 23 
			 East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust * 1 5 6 
			 West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust * 0 9 9 
			  
			 10. Medical microbiology and virology 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire SHA Total 9.2 1 10 11 
			 East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust * 0 3 3 
			 West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust * 1 2 3 
			  
			 11. Obstetrics and gynaecology 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire SHA Total 3.4 1 29 30 
			 East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust * 0 8 8 
			 West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust * 0 9 9 
			  
			 12. Occupational health 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire SHA Total * 2 1 1 
			 East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust * 1 0 0 
			 West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust  0 0 0 
			  
			 13. Ophthalmology 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire SHA Total 6.5 1 14 15 
			 East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust * 0 4 4 
			 West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust * 0 4 4 
			  
			 14. Orthodontics 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire SHA Total * 1 3 5 
			 East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust * 1 0 0 
			 West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust * 0 2 4 
			  
			 15. Paediatrics 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire SHA Total 5.9 3 47 51 
			 East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust 21.4 3 11 12 
			 West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust  0 0 0 
			  
			 16. Rheumatology 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire SHA Total * 1 8 8 
			 East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust * 0 3 3 
			 West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust * 1 2 2 
			  
			 17. Trauma and orthopaedic surgery 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire SHA Total 8.8 3 31 32 
			 East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust 9.1 1 10 10 
			 West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust * 0 8 9 
			  
			 18. Other 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire SHA Total * 1 4 7 
			 East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust  0 0 0 
			 West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust  0 0 0 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Three month vacancies are vacancies which trusts are actively trying to fill, which had lasted for three months or more (full-time equivalents).
	2. Three month vacancy rates are three month vacancies expressed as a percentage of three month vacancies plus staff in post.
	3. Vacancy and staff in post numbers are rounded to the nearest full number.
	4. Percentages are rounded to one decimal place:
	'*' where the sum of the staff in post and number of vacancies is less then 10.
	'' where the sum of the staff in post and number of vacancies is zero.
	Source:
	Department of Health medical and dental vacancy survey.
	
		Three month vacancy rate and number for all consultants by selected trust in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire SHA, as at 31 March 2004
		
			 Organisation Org Code NHS Trust 3 month vacancy rate (percentage) 3 month vacancy (number) Staff in post (full-time equivalent) Staff in post (headcount) 
		
		
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire RWH East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust 8.0 13 149 158 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire RWR Hertfordshire Partnerships NHS Trust 0.0 0 76 83 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire RWG West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust 5.1 9 167 181 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Total  5.0 33 621 668 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Three month vacancies are vacancies which trusts are actively trying to fill, which had lasted for three months or more (full-time equivalents).
	2. Three month vacancy rates are three month vacancies expressed as a percentage of three month vacancies plus staff in post.
	3. Vacancy and staff in post numbers are rounded to the nearest full number.
	4. Percentages are rounded to one decimal place.
	Source:
	Department of Health medical and dental vacancy survey.

Contaminated Blood Products (Ex-gratia Payments)

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress her Department has made in offering ex-gratia payments from the Skipton Fund to those who have contracted hepatitis C from contaminated blood products.

Caroline Flint: The Skipton Fund was set up to administer an ex-gratia payment scheme for people infected with hepatitis C through contaminated blood and blood products. The table shows information on the number of applications processed by the Skipton Fund since it was launched in July last year.
	
		
			  Stage one applications Stage two applications Amount paid () 
		
		
			 England 2,642 432 63,640,000 
			 Scotland 528 70 12,310,000 
			 Northern Ireland 97 18 2,390,000 
			 Wales 201 29 4,745,000 
			 
			 Number of applicants paid in the United Kingdom 3,468 549 83,085,000 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures as at 1 July 2005.

Contraceptive Training

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much each primary care trust in England has spent in 200506 on contraceptive training; and how much each plans to spend in each of the next three years.

Caroline Flint: The information requested is not held centrally.

Dentistry

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS dentists in (a) England and (b) each strategic health authority were accepting new NHS patients at the latest date for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: Information on which practices are currently taking on new national health service patients is not centrally collected. This information should be available from NHS Direct or from local primary care trusts.

Dentistry

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS dentists there are in the Peterborough constituency; and how many are taking on new NHS patients.

Rosie Winterton: As at 31 March 2005, there were 68 NHS dentists in the Peterborough constituency area 1 .
	Information about the number of dentists taking on new national health service patients is not collected centrally.
	However, information about dental practices within primary care trusts (PCTs) currently taking on new NHS patients can be found on the NHS website at http://www.nhs.uk/England/AuthoritiesTrusts/Pct/list.aspx, from NHS Direct or from the local PCTs.
	 1 Source:
	Dental Practice Boardbased on dentists whose practice address postcode is within the constituency boundary.

Dentistry

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of the (a) adult and (b) child population was registered with an NHS dentist in the Southend primary care trust area in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Rosie Winterton: The estimated percentages of child, adult and total population registered with general dental service (CDS) and personal dental service (PDS) dentists for Southend primary care trust (PCT) for March each year are shown in the table.
	
		Percentage
		
			  Child Adult All 
		
		
			 2001 68 51 54 
			 2002 66 50 54 
			 2003 65 50 54 
			 2004 62 47 50 
			 2005 62 44 48 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Registration rates, that is, the percentage of the population registered with a dentist, have been estimated by including registrations in the area of the dentist according to the postcode of the dental surgery (not the patient's address). So the registration rates for some areas may be affected by some patients receiving dental treatment in a different area from the one in which they live. This can lead to figures being unusually high (even over 100 per cent. for child registrations), whilst other areas may have estimated rates lower than the actual proportion of residents who are registered with a dentist in or outside their own area.
	2. The registration rates use population estimates for the PCT areas for the nearest year for which data are available. Figures for 1997 to 2000 have been calculated from 2001 population data. Figures for 2004 and 2005 have been calculated from 2003 population data, as this is the most up to date available.
	3. The numbers of registrations are based on a snapshot of the registration database taken at the end of March each year and subsequent retrospective notifications of changes to registrations have not been included.
	4. Some double counting may occur in the totals when a patient has been newly registered with a dentist in one PCT, but not yet de-registered from a dentist in another PCT.
	5. The changes in the registration period from two years to 15 months under the GDS from 1 September 1996 affected the registration numbers from December 1997 onwards, so the 1997 figures are not comparable with later figures.
	6. Most PDS schemes that have registrations have a re-registration period in excess of 15 months, so the figures for PDS schemes are generally higher than they would have been for the same attendance pattern under GDS.
	7. Some PDS schemes do not have any registrations, for example, dental access centres and will not therefore be included in these figures.
	8. There is a small number of unallocated registrations.
	Sources:
	Dental Practice Board.
	Office of National Statistics population data.

Dentistry

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the 50 million allocated to strategic health authorities in 2004 to improve dental access was given to Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic Health Authority.

Rosie Winterton: Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic Health Authority received 2.013 million funding in 200405 to improve dental access.

Emergency Contraception

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the (a) organisations and (b) individuals consulted by Oxford Primary Care Trust before they expanded a pilot scheme offering free morning-after pills to teenagers to cover 24 pharmacies in the region; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: This information is not held centrally.

Emergency Contraception

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  why it is necessary for a pharmacist with a conscientious objection to prescribing emergency contraception over the counter without prescription to refer a patient to another pharmacist who does not have such a conscientious objection; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  if she will introduce legislation to allow a pharmacist with a conscientious objection to prescribing emergency contraception over the counter without prescription to rely on the rights created by section 4 of the Abortion Act 1967; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: Emergency hormonal contraception (EHC) is not a method of abortion. In 2002, there was a High Court ruling that the supply and use of EHC is lawful and that the prevention of implantation, which is brought about by emergency contraception products, does not amount to procuring a miscarriage under the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act. The conscience clause set out in section 4 of the Abortion Act is therefore not relevant to the supply of EHC.
	The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain's code of ethics and standards states that
	where pharmacists' religious beliefs or personal convictions prevent them from providing a service they must not condemn or criticise the patient and they or a member of staff must advise the patient of alternative sources for the service requested.

Emergency Contraception

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prescriptions of the morning-after pill there were in the last 10 years for which figures are available; and if she will break down prescription by age.

Caroline Flint: Hormonal emergency contraception, the morning-after pill, may be prescribed by general practitioners or by family planning clinics. The numbers of prescriptions in the last 10 years may be found in the statistical bulletin, NHS Contraceptive Services, England, 200304, which is available in the Library and also on the Department's website at www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/09/00/22/04090022.pdf.
	Table 10 in the bulletin shows GP prescriptions and table five those in family planning clinics. Hormonal emergency contraception is also available at pharmacies but statistical information about pharmacy provision is not available.
	An age breakdown is not available for GP prescriptions. The age breakdown of women prescribed hormonal emergency contraception by family planning clinics is shown in table six of the bulletin.

Emergency Contraception

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what research has been commissioned by her Department into the safety of post coital contraception with respect to girls aged (a) 12 to 14 and (b) 14 to 16 years; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what clinical trials involving girls between the ages of 11 and 15 years have been conducted with respect to levonorgestrel;
	(3)  if levonorgestrel is licensed for use by girls between the ages of 11 and 15.

Caroline Flint: As with all marketed medicines, the safety of post coital contraception is continuously monitored by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
	Post coital contraception is currently available as a levonorgestrel, containing emergency hormonal contraceptive (Levonelle/Levonelle-2) and as the post-coital insertion of a copper-containing intra-uterine device (IUD).
	No safety concerns were identified in two World Health Organisation (WHO) sponsored clinical trials of emergency hormonal contraception that included girls aged 16 and under. In addition, extensive worldwide use of levonorgestrel in over 9 million women, including those under 16 years, have not identified any serious safety concerns or provided evidence that the safety of levonorgestrel is any different in the under 16s. There are also no safety concerns about the use of IUDs in women age under 16. However, these are very rarely used in young women with no children.
	Clinical trials for new drugs are not routinely conducted on young people under 16 unless they are specifically indicated for use in children. The judgment on the balance of risks and benefits in women under 16 is the responsibility of the prescribing physician. Health care professionals are encouraged to discuss the potential side effects with everyone who seeks treatment. In addition, prescribers are expected to satisfy themselves that all women understand the risks and benefits of using post coital contraception and that it is in their best interests to receive the treatment.
	In the event of any important new safety information emerging, the MHRA will take action to ensure that this is accurately reflected in the product information and communicated to health professionals and women using these products.
	No clinical trials of levonorgestrel use specific to women under 16 have been conducted in the United Kingdom. The marketing authorisation that was granted in 1999 for the prescription-only product was supported by evidence from two large randomised controlled trials, one conducted by the WHO 1 , and one using published data from uncontrolled studies. Most women in the clinical trials were aged between 16 and 48, but a few girls aged 14 and 15 were included. No data were available for girls between ages 11 and 14 years. Age analysis of efficacy and safety in randomised studies did not identify any population that responded differently to treatment. Since then another WHO-sponsored study has evaluated 4,136 women aged between 14 and 52 years (mean age 27 years) who attended family planning clinics requesting emergency contraception 2 . In excess of 2,700 women were given levonorgestrel, and of these, 439 were teenage girls (with 85 aged 16 and under). No safety concerns were identified in the study.
	Levonorgestrel is available as Levonelle-2G,, a prescription-only medicine licensed for emergency contraception that is available only under medical supervision. The licence does not specify a lower age limit for women but health care professionals are expected to satisfy themselves, in accordance with guidelines, that treatment is in the patient's best interests and that she understands the advice she is receiving.
	Levonorgestrel is also available as LevonelleG, which is for sale in pharmacies and is not recommended for use by young women under 16 years of age without medical supervision. Comprehensive guidance and training on best practice for the supply of Levonelle in pharmacies has been issued to all pharmacists. This includes what questions should be asked of women, which women should be referred to a doctor for advice and ensuring that they are satisfied that the client is aged 16 or over.
	1 Task Force on Postovulatory Methods of Fertility Regulation. Lancet 1998;352:42833
	2 Von Hertzen H et al., Lancet 2002;360:180310

Food Labelling

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had with supermarkets about the effective labelling of food to help consumers understand where the items are produced; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: I have had no discussion with supermarkets on the labelling of the geographical origin of foods. However, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued good practice guidance on country of origin labelling, following a consultation with all stakeholders, including the food retail sector. The FSA is currently undertaking a survey to assess the extent to which this guidance is being followed. The outcome of this survey will inform a review of this guidance, and this review will involve further discussions with the food retail sector.

Food Labelling

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what controls are in place on the (a) labelling and (b) sale of imported food derived from cloned animals.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 18 July 2005
	There are no European Union controls which apply specifically to the labelling or import of food derived from cloned animals. The authorisation of cloned animals for food production would fall within the scope of the EU novel foods regulation which would also provide controls for the labelling of such food products.
	No such application has been received within the EU to date.

Food Preparation and Cooking NVQ

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had with (a) the Department for Education and Skills and (b) the Food Standards Agency on making nutrition a mandatory element of the Food Preparation and Cooking NVQ.

Caroline Flint: The Department has not had any discussions with the Department for Education and Skills or the Food Standards Agency on making nutrition a mandatory element of the food preparation and cooking national vocation qualification.

Genito-urinary Medicine

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what methods were used (a) to monitor and (b) to record performance against the target set out in her Department's National Strategy for Sexual Health and HIV that by the end of 2004 all genito-urinary medicine clinic attendees should be offered an HIV test on their first screening for sexually transmitted infections.

Caroline Flint: Data on HIV tests taken and offered in genito-urinary medicine clinics are collected and published by the Health Protection Agency (HPA). Indicators for the national strategy for sexual health HIV goals were published by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) in their annual report, Focus on Prevention. HIV and other sexually transmitted infections in the United Kingdom in 2003 is available on their website at www.hpa.org.uk.

Health Services (Milton Keynes)

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioners there have been in the Milton Keynes Primary Care Trust in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		General medical practitioners (excluding retainers and registrars)(60) for specified organisations, 19992004
		
			  Number (headcount) 
		
		
			 4051Milton Keynes Primary Care Group  
			 1999 117 
			 2000 119 
			 2001 n/a 
			 2002 n/a 
			 2003 n/a 
			 2004 n/a 
			 December 2004 n/a 
			   
			 5CQMilton Keynes Primary Care Trust  
			 1999 n/a 
			 2000 n/a 
			 2001 119 
			 2002 123 
			 2003 121 
			 2004 125 
			 December 2004 127 
		
	
	n/a = data are not applicable.
	(60) General medical practitioners, excluding retainers and registrars, includes contracted GPs, general medical service (CMS) others and personal medical service (PMS) others. Prior to September 2004 this group included GMS unrestricted principals, PMS contracted GPs, PMS salaried GPs, restricted principals, assistants, salaried doctors (Para 52 SFA), PMS other, flexible career scheme GPs and GP returners.
	Note:
	Data as at 1 October 1999, 30 September 200004 and 31 December 2004.
	Source:
	NHS Health and Social Care Information Centre GMS and PMS statistics.

Hip Replacements

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients in the Milton Keynes Primary Care Trust have been waiting more than (a) three months, (b) six months, (c) nine months and (d) 12 months for hip replacement operations.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		Patient count of finished in-year admission episodes, main operative procedure hip replacement (OPCS-4 = W37-W39), primary care trust (PCT) of residenceMilton Keynes PCT, national health service hospitals, England 200304
		
			 Waiting time grouping Total patients 
		
		
			 Up to 3 months 20 
			 More than 3 up to 6 months 26 
			 More than 6 up to 9 months 21 
			 More than 9 up to 12 months 35 
			 More than 12 up to 18 months 8 
			 Not known 1 
			 Total 111 
		
	
	Note:
	1. A finished in-year admission is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider, excluding admissions beginning before 1 April at the start of the datayear. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.
	2. Patient counts are based on the unique patient identifier HESID. This identifier is derived based on patient's date of birth, postcode, sex, local patient identifier and national health service number, using an agreed algorithm. Where data are incomplete, HESID might erroneously link episodes or fail to recognise episodes for the same patient. Care is therefore needed, especially where duplicate records persist in the data. The patient count cannot be summed across a table where patients may have episodes in more than one cell.
	3. The main operation is the first recorded operation in the hospital episode statistics (HES) data set and is usually the most resource intensive procedure performed during the episode. It is appropriate to use main operation when looking at admission details, e.g.,. time waited, but the figures for all operations count of episodes give a more complete count of episodes with an operation.
	4. Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed).
	5. Time waited (days)time waited statistics from HES are not the same as the published waiting list statistics. HES provides counts and time waited for all patients admitted to hospital within a given period whereas the published waiting list statistics count those waiting for treatment on a specific date and how long they have been on the waiting list. Also, HES calculates the time waited as the difference between the admission and decision to admit dates. Unlike published waiting list statistics, this is not adjusted for self-deferrals or periods of medical/social suspension.
	Source:
	HES, Health and Social Care Information Centre.

Influenza Vaccinations

Dan Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the take-up rate for influenza vaccinations was in (a) north-east Somerset and (b) south Gloucestershire in each of the last five years.

Caroline Flint: The take-up rates for influenza vaccinations for those aged 65 and over in north Somerset and south Gloucestershire in each of the last five years are shown in the table.
	
		Percentage
		
			  North Somerset South Gloucestershire 
		
		
			 200001 (61)67 (61)67 
			 200102 (61)65 (61)70 
			 200203 71 73 
			 200304 72 76 
			 200405 69 75 
		
	
	(61) Data collected for these years were by health authority. Data by primary care trust were collected from 200203 onwards.

Liquid Eggs (Food Poisoning)

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the incidence of food poisoning from liquid eggs; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The Health Protection Agency receives reports of outbreaks of infectious intestinal disease. No outbreaks associated with liquid eggs were reported in the years 1992 to 2004.

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to review the work of the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency.

John Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to carry out a review of the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency; and if she will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The recent Health Select Committee report into the influence of the pharmaceutical industry recommended that the work of the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency should be reviewed. The Government are currently considering its response to the report. This issue will be addressed fully in that response.

Mumps

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures are being taken to reduce the incidence of mumps at universities.

Caroline Flint: The Department continues to advise that all children receive two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine as part of the routine childhood immunisation programme. We are also advising 15 to 24-year-olds to ensure they are properly protected against MMR.

National Alcohol Needs Assessment

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will set out the remit, main findings and recommendations of the National Alcohol Needs Assessment for England.

Caroline Flint: In the alcohol harm reduction strategy for England, there is a commitment for the Department to conduct an audit of the demand for and provision of alcohol treatment in England. The audit is intended to provide information on gaps between demand and provision of treatment services at both national and local levels and will be used as a basis for the Department to develop a programme of improvement to treatment services.
	A summary of the report's main findings will be published in September 2005 as part of the wider programme of improvements for alcohol treatment services, which will make best practice recommendations to local alcohol treatment service commissioners and providers.
	The programme of improvement will be published on the Department's website.

National School Fruit Scheme

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many schools are participating in the National School Fruit scheme; how many deliveries are made per week to these schools; what percentage of fruit supplied to schools under the National School Fruit scheme is sourced from (a) suppliers within 25 miles of the school supplied, (b) UK suppliers and (c) overseas suppliers; and what percentage of fruit supplied to schools under the National School Fruit scheme is sourced according to seasonal variations in local and national availability.

Caroline Flint: The number of schools participating in the school fruit and vegetable scheme by February 2005 was 16,069. This figure represents 97 per cent. of eligible schools.
	Deliveries are made a maximum of three times per week. We are working to minimise the environmental impact of bulk transport and over the last 12 months have reduced deliveries to five times per fortnight to 39 per cent. of schools.
	We do not hold information centrally about the distance of school fruit and vegetable scheme suppliers in relation to the schools they supply, but, wherever possible, we match local produce to local schools.
	We have designed the school consumption calendar to reflect any seasonality for produce on a national and international level. During the United Kingdom season, approximately 39 per cent. of fruit and vegetables are sourced from the UK. Some fruit, such as satsumas and bananas, cannot be grown in the UK and other types of fruit, including apples and pears, may only be available in certain areas at certain times of the year. We are keen to explore ways of maximising locally grown produce, but we also need to ensure that all children should have access to the same quality and variety of fruit and vegetables wherever they are in the country.

Obesity

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to tackle childhood obesity; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: Reducing obesity in both children and adults is one of the key overarching priorities of the Government White Paper, Choosing Health. The White Paper sets out a comprehensive strategy for tackling obesity and has given a solid foundation for future work. Delivery plans for Choosing Health, Choosing a Better Diet and Choosing Activity were published in March this year and show how we will deliver action to tackle childhood obesity.
	We have also set a national public service agreement target to halt, by 2010, the year-on-year increase in obesity among children under 11 in the context of a broader strategy to tackle obesity in the population as a whole. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidance on the prevention, identification, assessment and management of overweight and obesity in adults and children will also be available early in 2007.
	Current action on diet includes investment in the Five-a-day programme, including the school fruit and vegetable scheme, promotion of breastfeeding, action to improve diet and nutrition across the whole school, including the food in schools programme, as well as work with industry on food promotion to children and reducing salt, fat and sugar. Current action on physical activity includes investing in school sport and the local exercise and activity pilots.

Obesity

Doug Naysmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in ensuring that primary care trusts produce strategies to address obesity; what (a) guidance and (b) resources are made available to trusts to assist them in producing such strategies; and whether that assistance includes information about slimming on referral.

Caroline Flint: As part of the local delivery plan process, strategic health authorities are required to submit plans to tackle obesity. These have been received and are being assessed. The obesity care pathway, weight loss guide and obesity toolkit will help support primary care trusts in delivering their plans, prior to National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidance in 2007. The White Paper, Choosing Health, also made a commitment to assess the role validated programmes, such as slimming on referral, can play in providing effective behaviour change programmes.

Obesity

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which strategic health authorities have submitted plans to tackle obesity as part of the local delivery plan process.

Caroline Flint: All strategic health authorities (SHAs) have been required to develop local delivery plans to tackle obesity. The Department is in the process of agreeing SHA plans and progress will be monitored against these.

Obesity

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the need for action to tackle obesity at primary care level.

Caroline Flint: As part of the local delivery plan process, strategic health authorities are required to submit plans to tackle obesity. These have been received and are being assessed. The obesity care pathway, weight loss guide and obesity toolkit will help support primary care trusts in delivering their plans, prior to National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidance in 2007.

Orthopaedic Prosthesis

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 27 June 2005, Official Report, column 1377W, on orthopaedic prosthesis, if she will take steps to ensure that no NHS trust standardises orthopaedic prosthesis.

Rosie Winterton: There are no plans for the standardisation of orthopaedic prosthesis.

Positron Emission Tomography Services

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps have been taken following the publication of the Framework for the Development of Positron Emission Tomography Services in England on 28 July 2004 and the subsequent consultation; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: We are currently considering responses to the draft, National Framework for the Development of Position Emission Tomography Services in England. The report is due to be published shortly.

Prisons

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the number of prisoners infected with hepatitis C in England and Wales.

Rosie Winterton: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, North-East (Mr. Hamilton) on 12 July 2005, Official Report, columns 97374W.

Processed Food Industry

Mike Hall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the cost to the processed food industry of the Food Standards Agency's decision to recall products containing Sudan 1 and Para Red.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 18 July 2005
	This information is not held centrally by the Food Standards Agency (FSA). Estimated costs on the action taken by the FSA to recall products would be available from the industry.

Public and Patient Involvement Forums

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the public and patient involvement forums for (a) ambulance services, (b) mental health trusts and (c) acute hospital trusts will be abolished; and what mechanisms will be set up to ensure patient consultation.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 11 July 2005
	It is intended, subject to legislation, that patient forums for ambulance services, mental health trusts and acute hospital trusts will be abolished in August 2006. We plan to combine forums and work is under way to ensure that the work these specialist trust forums are doing is continued under the new arrangements. Section 11 of the Health and Social Care Act 2001 on the duty to consult patients and the public is unaffected by this change.

Section 64 Funding

Gisela Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reason bereavement was removed from the criteria for eligibility for section 64 funding for 200506.

Rosie Winterton: In 200506, bereavement organisations received grants totalling more than 200,000 through the section 64 general scheme of grants.
	Funding for section 64 grants is limited and always over subscribed. In these circumstances, funding for new projects from 200607 was directed at priorities other than bereavement. However, a number of bereavement organisations continue to receive funding through previous section 64 awards through until 2008.

Smoking

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research she has commissioned on the possibility of smoking being a contributing factor in the onset of blindness; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The Government have not commissioned research on the possibility of smoking being a contributing factor in the onset of blindness. However, it is widely recognised that smoking is linked to many serious and chronic conditions.

Surrey and Sussex Strategic Health Authority

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the board members of health trusts within the Surrey and Sussex Strategic Health Authority who have left their positions in the last three years.

Caroline Flint: The information is not held centrally, nor is it collected locally by the strategic health authority.
	Responsibility for appointments functions relating to the appointment of non-executive directors of national health service trusts was delegated to the NHS Appointments Commission when it was established in 2001. The chair of the NHS Appointments Commission will write to the hon. Member directly with the information he has asked for.

Walnuttree Hospital, Sudbury

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations her Department has received from (a) patients, (b) patients' relatives, (c) medical staff and (d) other health authority staff regarding the proposal to close the Walnuttree hospital in Sudbury.

Rosie Winterton: The Department has received letters and emails from patients, patients' relatives and medical staff on the proposal to close the Walnuttree hospital in Sudbury. In addition, a 10,000 signature petition was presented to the Department on 24 November 2004 on behalf of the campaigners, Hands Off Our Hospital.

World Health Organisation

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much her Department has given to the World Health Organisation in each year since 1997; whether there are restrictions on the use of these funds; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The Department pays the United Kingdom's annual subscription to the World Health Organisation (WHO) in line with the United Nation's scales of assessment, which is shown in the table. There are no restrictions on the use of these funds.
	
		UK annual subscriptions from 1997 to 2004
		
			 Thousand 
			  Departmental contributions to the WHO 
			  United States ($) (62) 
		
		
			 1997 21,560 13,342 
			 1998 21,416 12,891 
			 1999 19,677 12,180 
			 2000 20,751 13,170 
			 2001(63) 20,293 14,400 
			 2005(63) 22,683 14,950 
			 2003(63) 20,071 12,673 
			 2004(63)(5508060064) 22,030 12,959 
		
	
	(62) Figures are in sterling and based on the United Kingdom's financial year starting from 199798 to 200405.
	(63) Figures are not comparable to previous years due to the introduction of the resource accounting and budgeting out-turn exercise. This information is compiled in line with the requirements of Government Accounting 2000.
	(64) Amount in sterling is provisional.
	Notes:
	1. WHO contributions against the UK are in US dollars and converted into sterling by using the exchange rates used by the Bank of England.
	2. Figures are rounded to the nearest thousands.
	In addition to the annual subscription, the Department has made voluntary contributions targeted to specific WHO programmes in the following areas:
	Disease surveillance
	Environment and health, including chemical safety and air quality
	Immunisation (pandemic flu)
	Non communicable diseases (health inequalities, WHO global strategy on diet, physical activity and health)
	Patient safety
	Tobacco control
	Smallpox.

TREASURY

Child Trust Fund

Mohammad Sarwar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Child Trust Fund cheques have been invested; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 6 June 2005, Official Report, columns 28687W. Figures are published quarterly and the next figures will be published at the end of August.

Childcare Vouchers

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information his Department is providing to parents to explain the effect of claiming tax-free childcare vouchers on (a) child tax credit and (b) superannuation contributions.

Dawn Primarolo: Guidance on the effect of accepting tax-free childcare vouchers on tax credits and pension contributions where these are offered by employers in return for a salary sacrifice is available on HMRC's website at www.hmrc.gov.uk/specialist/salary_sacrifice.htm
	Employers should advise employees of any effect of childcare vouchers on tax credits and pension contributions.

Childcare Vouchers

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the effect of take-up of tax-free childcare vouchers by employees will be on occupational pension contributions for (a) men and (b) women.

Dawn Primarolo: The tax and NICs exemption for employer-provided childcare vouchers has no effect on occupational pension contributions for men or women. Whether employers choose to alter pension contributions is entirely a matter for them.

Class A Drugs

Mark Oaten: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people have been arrested for trafficking class A drugs at (a) airports and (b) ports in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: HMRC does not currently collect arrest data in a way that readily allows production of this kind of breakdown.
	HMRC prosecution statistics for class A offences are regularly published by the Home Office in Drug Seizure and Offender Statistics reports. However, these do not include breakdowns by locations of seizure.
	The most recent of these reports was published in July 2004, covering results for 2001 and 2002. In 2001, there were 560 prosecutions for illegal import or export of class A drugs. In 2002, there were 1,220.

Cost Recovery

Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 28 June 2005, Official Report, column 1424W, on cost recovery, when he expects the National Partnership Group for Palliative Care to publish the further information on full cost recovery to which he refers.

Rosie Winterton: I have been asked to reply.
	The information on health care resource groups, payment by results and the principles of full costs recovery being prepared for the national partnership group for palliative care is presently out for consultation with the group. We expect to issue this information once the consultation process is complete.

Council Tax

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 6 July 2005, Official Report, column 432W, on council tax, if he will place in the Library a copy of the written advice or reports submitted to the Valuation Office Agency by (a) Cole Layer Trumble, (b) the International Association of Assessing Officers, (c) the International Property Tax Institute, (d) the Institute of Revenue Rating and Valuation, (e) the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveys and (f) KPMG.

Dawn Primarolo: I have asked the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) to arrange for hardcopy versions of Mass Appraisal of Real Property and Property Appraisal and Assessment Administration published by the International Association of Assessing Officers and A vision for valuation published by the RIGS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) to be placed in the House of Commons and the House of Lords Libraries. (A vision for valuation is also available on www.rics.org.). The Valuation Office Agency has used these publications to aid their review of potential techniques which may assist the revaluation, and also discussed aspects with representatives of the bodies concerned.
	The remaining written advice provided by (a) , (b) , (c) , (d) , (e) and (f) has been given to assist in the formulation of Government policy on the future assessment of properties for council tax purposes using computer aided mass appraisal techniques, which are still under development. This written advice has been provided in confidence, and in addition disclosure could in some cases prejudice the commercial interests of the supplier and their relationship with the VOA.

Drug-related Deaths (Teesside)

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many deaths in Teesside the use of (a) heroin, (b) ecstasy, (c) amphetamines, (d) other illicit substances, (e) alcohol and (f) tobacco was recorded as a cause in each year since 1997.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Dr. Ashok Kumar, dated 19 July 2005
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking in how many deaths in Teesside the use of (a) heroin, (b) ecstasy, (c) amphetamines, (d) other illicit substances, (e) alcohol and (f) tobacco was recorded as a cause in each year since 1997. (12552)
	The most recently available information for mortality is deaths registered in 2004 and deaths occurring in 2003. Relevant figures are only readily available for deaths where the underlying cause was either related to drug poisoning or directly related to alcohol (alcohol abuse, dependence and poisoning, and diseases directly related to alcohol use). It is not possible to identify from death certificates which substance was the primary cause when more than one was involved.
	Teesside has not been a recognised administrative area since 1974 when major administrative re-structuring took place. Teesside county borough council now lies within three unitary authorities: Middlesbrough; Redcar and Cleveland; and, Stockton-on-Tees. Figures for these areas are provided in the table below.
	It is not known how many people die through tobacco use each year as this information is not recorded on the death certificate. Estimates can be made however and the most recent for England were published by the Health Development Agency in 2004. 1 This report estimated that in England an average of 86,500 deaths were caused by smoking each year over the period 19982002. Estimates were not published at unitary authority level, however for Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) the percentages of all deaths from causes associated with smoking at ages 35 and over were published. The unitary authorities of Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, and Stockton-on-Tees lie within the PCTs of Middlesbrough, Langbaurgh and North Tees. The percentages of deaths of those aged 35 and over in these areas from causes associated with smoking were 38 per cent., 32 per cent. and 35 per cent. respectively.
	Figures for alcohol-related deaths to usual residents of the three unitary authorities registered in the years 1997 to 2004 are given in the table below. ONS compiles a special database to analyse mortality from drug-related poisoning, adding more detail than is available on routine annual extracts. This database is compiled using the annual occurrences extract of mortality data. Figures showing deaths related to drug poisoning involving heroin/methadone, ecstasy and amphetamines, occurring in the years 1997 to 2003, to usual residents of the three areas are given in the table below. Information on deaths involving illicit substances is not available, as how the deceased obtained a particular drug is not recorded at death registration.
	However the attached table does show the number of deaths where a controlled substance, other than heroin/morphine or amphetamines (including ecstasy), was mentioned.
	It should be noted that the figures on drug-related poisoning and alcohol-related deaths are not directly comparable for the following reasons:
	The figures for alcohol-related deaths include the long-term effects of alcohol use, such as cirrhosis of the liver, whereas the figures for drugs all relate to poisoning from drug use.
	Deaths from poisoning which involved both drugs and alcohol are coded as being due to drug poisoning, in accordance with international rules for coding cause of death.
	The figures on alcohol include only those where the underlying cause was alcohol-related. The figures on specific drugs include any mention of the substance where the death was related to drug poisoning.
	1 Twigg L, Moon G and Walker S. The smoking epidemic in England. Health Development Agency, 2004.
	
		Number of alcohol-related deaths(65) and deaths from drug-related poisoning(66) involving selected drugs(67) to usual residents of the Unitary Authorities of Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, and Stockton-on-Tees, 1997 to 2004(68)
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Middlesbrough 
			 (a) heroin/morphine (69) (69) (69) (69) 6 (69) (69)  
			 (b) ecstasy (69) (69) (69) (69) (69) (69) (69)  
			 (c) amphetamines (69) (69) (69) (69) (69) (69) (69)  
			 (d) other misuse substances (69) (69) (69) (69) (69) (69) (69)  
			 (e) alcohol-related deaths 13 22 16 12 18 23 13 25 
			  
			 Redcar and Cleveland 
			 (a) heroin/morphine (69) (69) (69) (69) (69) (69) (69)  
			 (b) ecstasy (69) (69) (69) (69) (69) (69) (69)  
			 (c) amphetamines (69) (69) (69) (69) (69) (69) (69)  
			 (d) other misuse substances (69) (69) (69) (69) (69) (69) (69)  
			 (e) alcohol-related deaths 14 14 14 17 20 16 21 18 
			  
			 Stockton-on-Tees 
			 (a) heroin/morphine (69) (69) (69) (69) (69) (69) (69)  
			 (b) ecstasy (69) (69) (69) (69) (69) (69) (69)  
			 (c) amphetamines (69) (69) (69) (69) (69) (69) (69)  
			 (d) other misuse substances (69) (69) (69) (69) (69) (69) 5  
			 (e) alcohol-related deaths 17 27 13 20 18 23 31 22 
		
	
	(65) For the years 19972000 the cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes 291, 303, 305.0, 425.5, 571, E860. For the years from 2001 onwards the cause of deaths was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes F10, 142.6, K70, K73, K74, X45.
	Deaths were selected using the original underlying cause. The selection of codes to define alcohol-related deaths is described in:
	Baker A and Rooney C (2003). Recent trends in alcohol-related mortality, and the impact of ICD-10 on the monitoring of these deaths in England and Wales. Health Statistics Quarterly 17, pp 514.
	(66) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes 292, 304, 305.2305.9, E850-E858, E950.0-E950.5, E962.0 and E980.0-E980.5 for 1997 to 2000, and the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes F11-F16, F18-F19, X40-X44, X60-X64, X85 and Y10-Y14 from 2001 onwards.
	(67) Drugs mentioned on the death certificate of a death where the underlying cause was drug poisoning.
	(68) Figures for alcohol-related deaths are numbers registered in each calendar year. Figures for drug-related poisoning deaths are numbers occurring in each calendar year.
	(69) Fewer than 5 deaths.

Economic Conditionality

Mike Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action is being taken to promote the UK position on economic conditionality at the International Monetary Fund.

Vera Baird: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps are being taken to promote the Government's policy on economic conditionality within the International Monetary Fund.

Ivan Lewis: As set out in the recently published policy paper Partnerships for Poverty Reduction: rethinking conditionality, the Government believes that the relationship between donors and each developing country should be a partnership, based on shared commitments and priorities taken from the country's own poverty reduction strategy, and that progress should be measured against benchmarks from that strategy.
	This approach was endorsed recently in the G8 statement on trade from the recent Gleneagles summit. This stated that this kind of flexibility will
	help least developed countries to decide, plan and sequence their overall economic reforms in line with their country-led development programmes and their international obligations.
	The IMF is currently undertaking a review of their approach to conditionality to be discussed later this year. In the context of this review and individual country discussions, the UK will work in the IMF Executive Board to promote the new approach proposed by the UK. The UK will also use the annual meetings of both the IMF and the World Bank in September 2005 to promote this approach.

Economic Inactivity

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of men and women aged (a) 16 to 44 and (b) 45 to 64 years who were (i) employed and (ii) economically inactive reported a limited longstanding illness from 1979 to the most recent available date.

John Healey: holding answer 11 July 2005
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Frank Field, dated 19 July 2005
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your parliamentary question about employed and economically inactive men and women with longstanding illness in the UK. (11441)
	Tables 1 and 2 attached provide the available information for the years 1995 to 2005.
	For the years 1995 to 1997 the long-term health problem definition included those people whose problem affected the kind of paid work they did. In the 1998 the definition of long-term health problem was extended to include problems affecting the amount of paid work that could be done. For the years 1999 onwards the figures are based on LFS questions designed to reflect the criteria of the Disability Discrimination Act.
	The proportion of disabled people in table 2 are on a consistent basis, which is comparable from 1999 onwards. However, table 1 shows a clear discontinuity due to questionnaire changes. This should be taken into account if comparisons are made over time.
	These estimates from the labour force survey are, as with any sample survey, subject to sampling variability.
	
		Table 1: Proportions of people of working age(70) with long-term health problem(71)United Kingdom
		
			 Percentage (not seasonally adjusted) 
			  Age 16 to 44 
			  Men Women 
			 Three months ending February In employment Inactive In employment Inactive 
		
		
			 1995 4.1 23.6 3.5 13.8 
			 1996 4.1 26.0 3.7 14.6 
			 1997 7.1 33.9 6.2 20.1 
			 1998(72) 5.4 33.1 5.6 20.2 
		
	
	
		
			  Percentage (not seasonally adjusted) 
			  Age 45 to 64 Age 45 to 59 
			  Men Women 
			 Three months ending February In employment Inactive In employment Inactive 
		
		
			 1995 8.0 64.9 7.1 41.2 
			 1996 7.7 64.2 7.2 42.9 
			 1997 12.1 69.5 10.5 50.9 
			 1998(72) 9.5 69.5 10.4 50.7 
		
	
	(70) Men aged 16 to 64 and women aged 16 to 59.
	(71) Long-term health problems defined by self-classification of LFS respondents as limiting the kind of paid work they can do.
	(72) In 1998 the definition of long-term health problems was extended to include problems affecting the amount of paid work that could be done.
	Source:
	ONS Labour Force Survey.
	
		Table 2: Proportion of people of working age(73) who are classified as disabled under the criteria of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) United Kingdom
		
			 Percentage (not seasonally adjusted) 
			  Age 16 to 44 
			  Men Women 
			 Three months ending February In employment Inactive In employment Inactive 
		
		
			 1999 8.2 33.7 9.1 22.3 
			 2000 8.6 32.8 8.9 23.8 
			 2001 8.7 33.9 9.3 23.5 
			 2002 9.0 34.6 10.1 24.0 
			 2003 9.4 34.6 10.0 24.3 
			 2004 8.7 32.2 9.6 23.8 
			 2005 8.8 31.8 9.9 23.5 
		
	
	
		
			  Percentage (not seasonally adjusted) 
			  Age 45 to 64 Age 45 to 59 
			  Men Women 
			 Three months ending February In employment Inactive In employment Inactive 
		
		
			 1999 15.6 71.8 17.1 54.8 
			 2000 16.7 69.4 17.0 55.4 
			 2001 17.8 72.0 17.3 56.2 
			 2002 18.6 71.3 18.2 59.0 
			 2003 19.0 71.0 18.2 58.0 
			 2004 19.0 71.1 18.1 58.2 
			 2005 19.1 69.4 18.9 58.6 
		
	
	(73) Men aged 16 to 64 and women aged 16 to 59.
	Note:
	Based on DDA (Disability Discrimination Act) disabled includes those who have a long term disability (12 months or more) which substantially limits their day-to-day activities, and people who have a long-term disability, which affects the kind or amount of work they might do.
	Source:
	ONS Labour Force Survey

Energy-saving Products

Lynne Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to introduce a stamp duty rebate for the installation of energy saving products at the time of home purchase.

John Healey: The Government keeps all taxes under review.

Gift Aid

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much money was received by charities via Gift Aid in (a) 2001, (b) 2002, (c) 2003 and (d) 2004.

Ivan Lewis: The amounts donated by individuals and tax repaid to charities under Gift Aid for the years 200001 to 200405 are shown in the table. The figures for 200405 are provisional. HM Revenue and Customs do not have data for corporate Gift Aid donations during this period.
	Statistics on Gift Aid are published on the HM Revenue and Customs website at www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/charities/table103.xls
	
		 million
		
			  Total gift aid donations Tax repaid 
		
		
			 200001 996 222 
			 200102 1,884 415 
			 200203 2,300 506 
			 200304 2,666 586 
			 200405 2,838 625

Handcuff Exports

Lynne Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what investigations Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs have undertaken of breaches of strategic export controls in relation to the export of oversized handcuffs from the UK to (a) the United States of America and (b) Hong Kong.

Dawn Primarolo: HMRC has investigated one case concerning alleged exports of oversized handcuffs from the UK to the United States of America and no cases involving exports to Hong Kong.

Import Duties

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the import duties that apply to goods manufactured outside the EU; and what the purpose is of each.

Malcolm Wicks: I have been asked to reply.
	The EU's import duties are set out in the EU's common external tariff and comprise over 15,000 separate tariff lines with varying duty rates. It is not practical to list all of them individually. The information can be found in the UK Customs Tariff published by HMSO on behalf of HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). A copy is currently available in the Libraries of the House.
	The European Community has exclusive competence for commercial policy including the setting of import duties. Import duties are a source of Government revenue. The level of duty reflects both the degree of sensitivity of the product concerned and also what was negotiable over time through various rounds of multilateral trade negotiations.

Income Tax

Tom Harris: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many workers living in (a) West Dunbartonshire council and (b) West Lothian council local authority areas pay income tax at (i) the basic rate and (ii) the higher rate;
	(2)  how many workers living in (a) Clackmannanshire council, (b) Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, (c) Dumfries and Galloway council, (d) Dundee city council and (e) East Ayrshire council local authority areas pay income tax at (i) the basic rate and (ii) the higher rate;
	(3)  how many workers living in (a) Aberdeen city council, (b) Aberdeenshire, (c) Angus council, (d) Argyll and Bute council and (e) City of Edinburgh local authority areas pay income tax at (i) the basic rate and (ii) the higher rate;
	(4)  how many workers living in (a) Scottish Borders council, (b) Shetland Islands council, (c) South Ayrshire council, (d) South Lanarkshire council and (e) Stirling council local authority areas pay income tax at (i) the basic rate and (ii) the higher rate
	(5)  how many workers living in (a) North Ayrshire council, (b) North Lanarkshire council, (c) Orkney Islands council, (d) Perth and Kinross council and (e) Renfrewshire council local authority areas pay income tax at (i) the basic rate and (ii) the higher rate;
	(6)  how many workers living in (a) Glasgow city council, (b) Highland council, (c) Inverclyde council, (d) Midlothian council and (e) Moray council local authority areas pay income tax at (i) the basic rate and (ii) the higher rate;
	(7)  how many workers living in (a) East Dunbartonshire council, (b) East Lothian council, (c) East Renfrewshire council, (d) Falkirk council and (e) Fife council local authority areas pay income tax at (i) the basic rate and (ii) the higher rate.

Dawn Primarolo: The information on revenue raised from personal taxation by local authority areas is not available pending a review of National Statistics on income tax and personal incomes. Further details of the review can be found on the HMRC website at the following page:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_tax/NS_Review.htm.
	The only related information available is the published National Statistics on mean and median income by each county, unitary authority or district which can be found on the HM Revenue and Customs website:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_distribution/table3140203.xls.

Income Tax

Iain Wright: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what proportion of people in (a) England and Wales, (b) North East region, (c) Tees Valley sub region and (d) Hartlepool pay income tax at the (i) starting rate of 10 per cent., (ii) basic rate of 22 per cent. and (iii) higher rate of 40 per cent.

Dawn Primarolo: The information for taxpayers in England and Wales is in the table.
	Similar information by tax bands on regional or sub-regional income tax revenue statistics is not available pending a review of National Statistics on income tax and personal incomes. Further details of the review can be found on the HMRC website at the following page: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_tax/NS_Review.htm
	
		England and Wales taxpayers only, 200203
		
			  Number of taxpayers (thousand) Percentage 
		
		
			 Starting rate 2,700 11 
			 Savers' and basic rate(74) 20,100 79 
			 Higher rate 2,800 10 
		
	
	(74) Includes taxpayers with a marginal rate of 20 per cent. on savings, 22 per cent. on earnings and 10 per cent. on dividends.
	The number of people liable for tax in the North East region, and Hartlepool and Tees Valley unitary authorities, can be found in tables 3.11 'Income and tax, by region and country' and 3.14 'Total income by borough and district or unitary authority' on the HM Revenue and Customs' website www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/income_distribution/menu.htm
	The income tax information is based upon the Survey of Personal Incomes (SPI) and 200203 is the latest survey year. The survey is based on information held by the HM Revenue and Customs tax offices on persons who are liable to UK tax.

Inheritance Tax

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  on how many estates the UK inheritance tax was paid in each year since 1996;
	(2)  if he will list the inheritance tax threshold in each year since 1996.

Dawn Primarolo: The number of estates paying inheritance tax each year are published on the HM Revenue and Customs website at
	www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/tax_receipts/table14.xls
	The inheritance tax threshold applying in each year is also given on the HM Revenue and Customs website at
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/inheritance_tax/table-a8.xls
	In Budget 2005 the threshold was increased to 275,000 in 200506, 285,000 in 200607 and 300,000 in 200708.

Inheritance Tax

Iain Wright: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many estates in Hartlepool have had a value in excess of the nil-band threshold of inheritance tax in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Dawn Primarolo: 94 per cent. of estates do not pay inheritance tax. Figures are not available at local levels.

Lorry Road User Charge

Alan Duncan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions with industry associations he (a) had prior to and (b) has had since his announcement of the lorry road user charge.

John Healey: Ministers and officials from HM Treasury, HMRC and the Department for Transport hold meetings on a regular basis with a wide range of representative bodies from the haulage and other related industries, primarily through the Road Haulage Forum (RHF) and its Lorry Road User Charge sub-group.
	I also talk regularly to leaders of the Freight Transport Association and the Road Haulage Association to discuss their concerns.

Lorry Road User Charge

Alan Duncan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the Chairman of the Lorry Road User Charge division within HM Revenue and Customs was paid in 200405; and if he will make a statement on the future of the post.

John Healey: The Director of the Lorry Road User Charge Programme within HM Customs and Excise received a civil service salary within the senior civil service pay band 2. Details of senior civil service pay bands for 200405 were published by the Review Body on Senior Salaries in its Twenty-Seventh Report on Senior Salaries (Cm 6451).
	The posts of Chief Executive and Director were merged into one post within HM Revenue and Customs in June 2005. Following the announcement by the Secretary for State for Transport on 5 July 2005, Official Report, column 173, that the Government will now take forward the plans for distance-based lorry charging as part of the wider work on national road pricing, this post is now under review.

Lorry Road User Charge

Tom Brake: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people are employed on the project to introduce lorry road user charging; and what their budget is.

Alan Duncan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how much has been spent on preparatory work for the lorry road user charge;
	(2)  how many people are employed in the lorry roaduser charge division within HM Revenue and Customs.

John Healey: The LRUC programme has regularly reviewed its needs to ensure the right level of skills and resources; during 200405, the last complete year for which figures are available, the equivalent of around 159 full-time staff were engaged on the programme. The provisional total for the expenditure by HM Customs and Excise on the LRUC programme since they were assigned responsibility in May 2002 up to 31 March 2005 was 39.1 million.
	This work on the LRUC programme has strengthened the Government's view that distance-based charging for using the UK's roads is technically achievable. In particular, proof of solution work with prospective suppliers has enabled us to see the technology in action, and is confirming our expectations of its ability to deliver a distance-based charge. The Government will continue to work with the haulage industry and ensure that we carry the full experience gained from this project into the wider work to develop a national road pricing system.

Money Laundering

Roger Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in the UK (a) have had their bank accounts closed and (b) been refused a bank account on grounds of suspicion of money laundering in each of the last three years.

Ivan Lewis: This information is not held by the Government.

National Insurance

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost would be of increasing the personal and employer and employee national insurance contribution thresholds to 8,615 (a) keeping a 10 per cent. starting rate on the first 2,090 above 8,615 and (b) removing the starting rate, in both cases decreasing the basic rate limit so that the upper rate was applied at the same point as at present.

Dawn Primarolo: Increasing the personal allowance (PA) and employer and employee national insurance contribution thresholds to 8,615 and reducing the basic rate band limit to 28,680, while keeping the 10 per cent. starting rate on the first 2,090 above the PA would reduce the tax/national insurance contribution revenue by around 38.5 billion in 200506.
	The cost would fall to 32.6 billion in 200506 if the first 2,090 above the PA is absorbed into the basic rate band.
	These estimates have been obtained after increasing all personal allowances (i.e. the personal allowances and personal allowances for individuals aged 65 and above) to 8,615, increasing the Primary and Secondary Thresholds to 166 per work and keeping the higher rate income-tax threshold at the current 37,295.
	The second costing assumes the first 2,090 is taxed at 22 per cent. on earnings and 20 per cent. on savingsthe dividends starting rate is kept at 10 per cent.
	There would be no savings from lower tax credits since tax credit entitlement is based on gross income.
	The income tax information is based upon the 200203 Survey of Personal Incomes (SPI) projected forward to 200506 and information on national insurance contribution information has been provided by the Government Actuary's Department (GAD). Estimates are in line with Budget 2005 assumptions.
	The figures exclude any estimate of behavioural response to the tax and national insurance contributions changes, which could be significant given the scale of the changes, nor do they consider the longer-term consequences of lower accruals of pension benefits and levels of rebates.

National Statistics

Michael Fallon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress is being made with the Framework Review of National Statistics; when he expects it to be compiled; whether it will be published; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: The Framework for National Statistics came into force in 2000, and included a commitment for its review in five years. The Government will honour this commitment.

North Sea Oil Revenues

Alex Salmond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Government have revised their forecast of North sea oil revenues in the 200506 financial year to take account of higher than expected oil prices and sterling/dollar movements; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Government will publish an update of the effect of oil prices on the UK's public finances and updated forecasts for the UK and world economies in the pre-Budget report as usual, taking into account all relevant factors and developments, including oil prices.

Offshore Tax Avoidance

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance he has issued on the awarding of contracts to companies who register crews offshore to avoid tax.

Dawn Primarolo: The Government awards contracts in accordance with procurement procedures. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 15 June 2005, Official Report, column 391W.

Oil and Gas Revenues

Alex Salmond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate oil and gas revenues accruing to the Exchequer in the 200506 financial year assuming oil prices at (a) $50, (b) $60 and (c) $80 a barrel.

Dawn Primarolo: The impact of higher oil prices on the public finances is discussed in Box 2.5 in the 2004 Pre-Budget Report.

Overseas Civil Service

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many former employees of Her Majesty's Overseas Civil Service benefited from a waiver of interest on tax liabilities for the year 199798 that were reported after the 31 January deadline as a result of the Hong Kong Government's decision to give a 10 per cent. rebate on tax charged for that year;
	(2)  what the total loss to the Exchequer was resulting from waiver of interest charges on tax liabilities of former employees of Her Majesty's Overseas Civil Service for the year 199798 that were reported after the 31 January deadline as a result of the Hong Kong Government's decision to give a 10 per cent. rebate on tax charged for that year;
	(3)  how many former employees of Her Majesty's Overseas Civil Service were charged interest on tax liabilities for the year 200102 that were reported after the 31 January deadline as a result of the Hong Kong Government's decision to give a 50 per cent. rebate on tax charged for that year.
	(4)  how much interest was charged on tax liabilities of former employees of Her Majesty's Overseas Civil Service for the year 200102 that were reported after the 31 January deadline as a result of the Hong Kong Government's decision to give a 50 per cent. rebate on tax charged for that year.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

PAYE

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made in modernising the computerisation of Pay As You Earn (PAYE) by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs; when current computer projects concerning PAYE are due to be completed; what the (a) original and (b) expected cost of each project is; what functional improvements are expected; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: PAYE computer systems and processes are being changed in order to support the recommendations of the 2001 Carter Report on Payroll Services which the Government accepted in the 2002 Budget. They include mandatory online submission of Employer's Annual Returns by large and medium-sized employers and incentives for voluntary online submission by small employers. The changes also support the submission of cleaner data to newly defined quality standards. The changes are scheduled for completion in September 2005.
	The original estimated development and running costs for this Programme (for the period 200304 to 200809) were 122 million. The expected costs for the same period, which are in line with the formally agreed business case, are 156 million. The difference is accounted for primarily by increased IT development and running costs driven out by detailed design and analysis work.
	935,000 (62 per cent.) 200405 Employer's Annual Returns, covering 87 per cent. of employee data, were made online. This compares with 6.6 per cent. of Returns the previous year.
	As part of its normal business, HMRC keeps computer support for PAYE under review with a view to improving processes and meeting public service agreement targets on customer service and efficiency.

Pension Funds

Gregory Barker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received from British businesses regarding taxes on pension funds since 1997.

Ivan Lewis: The Treasury receives representations from a number of parties, including British businesses on a wide range of issues, including tax and pensions.

Pension Savings (Tax Relief)

John Denham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate cost of tax relief on pension savings in 2026.

Ivan Lewis: No estimates are available.

Pensions

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what criteria he used in deciding to make property owners eligible for the self-invested personal pensions scheme.

Ivan Lewis: Currently most pension funds may invest in residential property, and many do. Pension tax simplification, which replaces the numerous existing tax regimes with a universal regime for tax-privileged pension savings, will also allow Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs) and Small Self-Administered Schemes (SSASs) to invest in residential property from 6 April 2006. This new regime will provide greater flexibility to some 15 million pension savers.
	Creating a single set of allowable investments across all pension schemes fits the requirement to create a single regime for tax privileged pension saving and corrects an existing distortion by giving investors greater choice.
	Paragraphs 55 and 56 of the Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) Simplifying the Taxation of Pensions published in April 2004, which can be found at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/ria/simplifying-pensions.pdf deal specifically with the potential consequences of allowing residential property into SIPPs and SSASs.
	The Government will keep this aspect of the tax system, as with all others, under review.

Revenue and Customs

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of theExchequer how many staff at Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs are engaged in the handling, processing and analysis of information returned on form IHT205.

Dawn Primarolo: No staff spend their whole time dealing with form IHT205, but the department estimates that it occupies the equivalent of about five full-time units. This compares to eight units dealing with the smaller number of excepted estates under the pre-2004 arrangements, plus further staff dealing with estates which were then required to submit a full IHT return but would now be able to use form IHT205. The new arrangements are designed to help executors get things right first time and have eliminated most of the follow-up inquiries which used to be necessary. Burdens on executors have reduced accordingly.

Science Investment

Brian Iddon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 7 July 2005, Official Report, column 620W, on science investment, by what amount private sector investment would need to (a) increase and (b) decrease to cause him to change the projected real-terms average annual growth of 5.8 per cent. in public sector funding for the science base over the next three years as outlined in the 2004 Spending Review.

John Healey: The spending plans for the next three years are as stated in the 2004 Spending Review. The 2004 Spending Review increased funding for the public science base, through the DTI and DfES, at an average annual rate of 5.8 per cent. in real terms over the Spending Review 2004 period (200405 to 200708). The Government have no plans to change its commitment to the public science base over the 2004 Spending Review period, irrespective of levels of private sector investment in RD over the same period.

Seal Skins

Mike Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many seal skins were (a) imported into and (b) exported from the UK in each of the last five years, broken down by species; and how much marine mammal oil was (i) imported into and (ii) exported from the UK in each year.

Dawn Primarolo: Figures on the imports and exports of seal skins and marine mammal oil are published in the Overseas Trade Statistics by HM Revenue and Customs which are available in the Library of the House and via www.uktradeinfo.com, which includes latest information. HM Revenue and Customs strongly suspects trade recorded against 43031010 in recent years has arisen as a result of miscoding by the importers concerned. Ongoing activities to ensure the quality of the trade statistics have resulted in some adjustments to the data; some further amendments may be necessary.

Self-assessment

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of self assessment tax payers paid their tax liability by (a) the due date and (b) within 12 months of the due date in each of the last five years for which information is available.

Dawn Primarolo: Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs only hold the information requested from year 200102. The following table shows the number of balancing payments paid by the due date expressed as a percentage of the number of self assessment taxpayers who have filed their returns.
	
		
			 Tax year Percentage of taxpayers who pay by the due date Percentage of taxpayers who pay within 12 months of the due date 
		
		
			 200102   
			 Due 31 January 2003 89.3 98.6 
			
			 200203   
			 Due 31 January 2004 89.8 98.7 
			
			 200304   
			 Due 31 January 2005 88.6 98.7

Stamp Duty

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate the Department has made of the aggregate annual cost to those required to complete stamp duty land tax returns of solicitors' work involved in completing such returns (a) in respect of all land transactions and (b) in respect of those land transactions in which no stamp duty land tax is payable.

Ivan Lewis: HM Revenue and Customs does not have an estimate of the compliance costs of stamp duty land tax (SDLT) on solicitors, conveyancers and other practitioners, nor of the costs passed on to purchasers in respect of completion of land transaction returns, regardless of whether SDLT is payable.

Stamp Duty

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many transactions in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland, (d) the UK and (e) each Government office region Stamp Duty was paid in each year since 1997.

Ivan Lewis: The estimated number of residential transactions, where Stamp Duty was payable, is given in the following table for the years and regions for which the information is available. Stamp Duty was payable for these years if the value of the transaction was above the 60,000 threshold, except for transactions from 30 November 2001 with values above 60,000 and up to 150,000 in certain disadvantaged areas, which were relieved from Stamp Duty.
	
		Number (thousand)
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 North East 15 12 16 17 16 20 31 
			 North West 41 45 57 68 76 86 83 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 32 32 39 46 44 51 47 
			 East Midlands 29 32 41 49 51 51 62 
			 West Midlands 43 44 54 59 62 81 60 
			 East of England 70 70 87 96 109 121 97 
			 London 122 121 155 148 159 163 130 
			 South East 137 134 167 158 199 230 174 
			 South West 65 67 87 90 117 137 126 
			 England 554 557 703 729 833 941 809 
			 Wales 17 17 23 22 32 37 46 
			 Scotland n/a n/a n/a n/a 55 66 75 
			 United Kingdom n/a n/a n/a n/a 942 1,069 964 
		
	
	n/a = Not available.

Stamp Duty

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of stamp duty land tax returns has been rejected as incorrectly completed by HM Revenue and Customs since the introduction of the form; and what percentage of those so rejected have subsequently been accepted as correct without amendment.

Ivan Lewis: In 2005 the percentage of returns received in which HMRC sought additional information or clarification of information included in stamp duty land tax returns has averaged approximately 33 per cent. A recent review suggested that in approximately 5 per cent. of cases received, one or more fields were either not captured or were misinterpreted during the scanning process. This figure includes returns where the handwriting results in information being captured incorrectly. As a result of this review, HMRC have identified a number of modifications which will quickly reduce the percentage of cases in which there is a scanning error.

Tax Credits

Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many copies of note TC 602 have been printed; what the instructions are for circulation thereof; and how many tax credit recipients have received a copy with each (a) payment and (b) assessment.

Dawn Primarolo: Form TC 602 is a computer-generated notice (accompanied by guidance notes) issued by HMRC under section 23 of the Tax Credits Act 2002. Its purpose is to set out the amount of tax credit entitlement and how that entitlement will be paid.
	An award notice is issued whenever the award or payment details change. Legislation requires that separate notices be issued to each individual in a joint award. Where a claim is made, or a change of circumstance is notified, via the internet an additional copy of each notice is provided for claimants to sign and return to confirm that the details shown are correct.
	For the number of award notices issued, and hence the number of forms TC 602 issued, may I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 4 July 2005, Official Report, column 99W.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information on (a) official error in payment of and (b) overpayment of tax credit is collated on a (i) quarterly, (ii) half-yearly and (iii) annual basis; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: For monthly figures of the amounts written off each month from June 2004 I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 4 July 2005, Official Report, columns 1012W.
	In general, overpayments can only be established at the end of year, when families report their finalised income and circumstances. Information about overpayments is published in the spring of each year under National Statistics.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the computer problems which have been experienced by the Inland Revenue Tax Credits department over the last two years.

Dawn Primarolo: It is still the case that the system is stable in terms of speed and accessibility. As I have made clear in recent statements and debates, there has been IT problems which have affected system performance, some of which were mentioned during the PAC hearing on 24 January 2005. Others which have come to light more recently were mentioned in HMRC's contribution to the Ombudsman's recent special report on tax credits. These problems are being resolved as they arise, and none is currently leaving claimants without payment.

Tax Credits

George Osborne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people are employed in HM Revenue and Customs to handle (a) tax credits overpayments and (b) tax credits underpayments.

Dawn Primarolo: Information about the number of people employed to handle overpayments and underpayments in HM Revenue and Customs is not available, as it is not organised along these dividing lines.

Tax Credits

George Osborne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been paid out to tax credit claimants in compensation for Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs errors in each of the last three years.

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what his latest estimate is of the number of compensation payments due to errors and delays in the Tax Credit Office in (a) 200304, (b) 200405 and (c) 200506; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what decisions his Department made in (a) 2002 and (b) 2003 about notifying tax credit claimants of their compensation entitlements following incorrect payments of the credits due to official error and IT problems; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The circumstances in which HM Revenue and Customs will make compensation payments to its customers are explained in the Department's Code of Practice 1 Putting things right which is available at www.hmrc.gov.uk. The Department will pay compensation for reasonable costs incurred as a direct result of their mistakes or delays and to recognise worry and distress caused by those mistakes and delays. They do not keep separate details of compensation payments made specifically due to errors or delays.
	For details of compensation payments the Department made to tax credits claimants in 200203, 200304 and 200405, I refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 4 July 2005, Official Report, columns 9596W.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the (a) number and (b) value was of overpayments of (i) working families tax credit and (ii) family credit for each year from 199596 to 200203; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Working families tax credit and family credit awards were fixed for 26 weeks. They were based on a snapshot of income and circumstances around the time of claim, and were not amended in any circumstances for the length of the award, regardless of a rise or fall in income or addition of, for example, another child. The fixed award period meant that it is not possible to calculate under or overpayments.

Tax Credits

Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many fax machines are sited at the work stations of staff of the tax credit helpline.

Dawn Primarolo: None. The tax credit helpline does not deal with fax requests from the public.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the (a) costs and (b) effects of returning to a fixed system of tax credit awards; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Government carefully examined the issue of how tax credits could respond to changes in families income and circumstances, and consulted on it when designing the child and working tax credits. A consultation document, 'New Tax Credits Supporting families, making work pay and tackling poverty', was published in July 2001. In the light of that consultation exercise, the April 2002 publication The Child and Working Tax Credits: The Modernisation of Britain's Tax and Benefit System Number Ten set out how the system would work.

Tax Credits

Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the merits of reforming the tax credits system to provide benefits for carers; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Government recognise the problems faced by carers moving into work.
	HMRC continues to consult with interested parties on the practicalities of extending support to this group.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from social work departments about the tax credit system.

Dawn Primarolo: HM Revenue and Customs consult extensively with the Tax Credit Consultation Group, which includes representatives from the Local Government Association.

Tax Credits

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will reply to the letter of 15 June from the right hon. Member for Birkenhead regarding the tax credits of his constituent, Mrs. Smith.

Dawn Primarolo: HM Revenue and Customs will reply to my right hon. Friend shortly.
	They aim to reply to 80 per cent. of correspondence within 15 working days and 95 per cent. within 40 working days.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his latest estimate is of the total number of staff members involved in all forms of tax credit administration; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The role of many HMRC staff may involve some element of tax credits administration, and the extent changes with the tax credits cycle.
	For numbers of staff employed on tax credits I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave him on 18 July 2005, Official Report, column 1332W.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average time taken to resolve a dispute over therecovery of overpaid tax credits was in (a) 200304 and (b) 200405; and what the figure is to date in 200506.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the proportion of tax credit expenditure that offsets tax liabilities.

Dawn Primarolo: The amount of the net payments of tax credits for 200304 that is attributed to negative tax is shown in the Inland Revenue Trust Accounts, Note 3, for the year ending 31 March 2004.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many changes have been made to child and working tax credit award notices and the information included with them; and if he will place samples of each in the Library.

Dawn Primarolo: HMRC review and update all of the main tax credits forms, including the award notice, each year. For April 2006, they plan to introduce an improved version of the notice that has been developed in conjunction with representative groups. Copies of the new design have been placed in the Library today.

Tax Credits

Jessica Morden: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in each ward of Newport East claim (a) child tax credit and (b) working tax credit.

Dawn Primarolo: Estimates of the number of in-work families (broken down by families with and without children) in each region, local authority and constituency with tax credits for 200304 awards, based on final family circumstances and incomes for 200304, appear in the HMRC statistical publication Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics. Finalised Awards 200304. Geographical analyses. More recent provisional estimates for in-work families, as at selected dates in 200405, in each such area appear in the publication Child and Working Tax Credit Statistics Geographical analyses. The estimates are based on samples and are subject to significant sampling uncertainty.
	Both of these publications can be found on the HMRC website at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-geog-stats.htm. Estimates for smaller areas are not currently available.

Tax Credits

George Osborne: To ask Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many eligible families did not receive (a) the working tax credit and (b) the child tax credit in 200304;
	(2)  what estimates he has made of the number of eligible families not receiving (a) the working tax credit and (b) the child tax credit, broken down by income range.

Dawn Primarolo: On average for 200304 5.7 million families benefited from child tax credit and working tax credit and initial analysis suggests that in its first year, child tax credit achieved an estimated take-up rate of 80 per cent. by caseload. Further work to produce final take-up rate estimates for child tax credit and working tax credit for 200304 is continuing and we expect this analysis to be completed towards the end of 200506.

Tax Credits

George Osborne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of (a) new claims, (b) renewals and (c) changes of circumstance within the tax credit system were decided accurately in 200304.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for High Peak (Tom Levitt), on 26 January 2005, Official Report, column 407W.

Tax Credits

Philip Dunne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost to HM Revenue and Customs of processing appeals and complaints regarding the tax credits system was in 200405.

Dawn Primarolo: The estimated administrative cost of dealing with tax credit appeals and complaints in 200405 was around 15 million.

Tax Returns

Michael Wills: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of appeals against penalties imposed for late submission of tax returns were upheld by the General Commissioners in (a) 2000, (b) 2001, (c) 2002, (d) 2003 and (e) 2004.

Dawn Primarolo: HM Revenue and Customs do not have this information.

Testicular Cancer

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the incidence of testicular cancer per 1,000 population was in (a) Gloucestershire and (b) Stroud District in each of the last five years.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. David Drew, dated 19 July 2005
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question concerning what the incidence of testicular cancer per 1,000 population men was in (a) Gloucestershire and (b) Stroud District in each of the last five years. (13617)
	The most recent available figures for the incidence of testicular cancer are for the year 2002. Over the five year period 19982002, there were on average 22 cases of testicular cancer each year in the current county of Gloucestershire, too few to reliably calculate annual age-standardised incidence rates. For the five year period 19982002, the age-standardised incidence rate (directly standardised to the European standard population) for Gloucestershire was 8.0 per 100,000 men. For comparison, the corresponding rate for England was 6.5 per 100,000 men.
	In the five year period 19982002, there were 12 cases of testicular cancer in the local authority of Stroud. The numbers of cases are too few to reliably calculate either annual age-standardised incidence rates or an age-standardised rate for the five-year period.

Tonnage Tax

Mike Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of corporation tax forgone since the introduction of tonnage tax; and howmuch tonnage tax has been raised during that period.

Dawn Primarolo: Estimates of the corporation tax foregone in the first four years of the tonnage tax based on the level of UK shipping activity when tonnage tax was introduced can be found at: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/international/tonnage.htm
	Over this same period around 10 million in corporation tax has accrued to the Exchequer from companies using the net tonnage of ships operated as a means of calculating shipping profits.

UK Royal Dutch Shell

Mark Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the position of the minority shareholders in UK Royal Dutch Shell who, following the reconstruction of the Shell Group, will be liable for capital gains tax.

Dawn Primarolo: Ministers cannot comment on the tax affairs of individual taxpayers.
	The UK has rules relating to share exchanges, which provide for relief by deferring tax on capital gains. Whether that relief is due to shareholders affected by the Shell reconstruction depends on exactly how the reconstruction is carried out. The detail of the reconstruction is, of course, entirely a matter for the companies concerned.

Vehicles (Revenue)

Alan Duncan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue his Department received from (a) fuel duty, (b) vehicle excise duty, (c) VAT on car sales, (d) VAT on fuel and (e) company car tax in the last year for which figures are available.

John Healey: The information is as follows:
	(a) and (e) Revenue collected by HM Revenue and Customs for the latest year available are published on the following websites:
	www.uktradeinfo.co.uk
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats
	(b) Vehicle Excise Duty are published in table C8 of Financial Statement and Budget Report (HC 372).
	(c) and (d) HM Revenue and Customs do not collect data on VAT for individual goods or services.